Mental Struggles of the Adult Athlete: Mindset, Progress & Balance

Mental Struggles of the Adult Athlete: Mindset, Progress & Balance

VBSC Podcast — Show Notes Episode Title: You're Not Over the Hill: Mental Struggles Adult Volleyball Players Face Hosted by: Greg Herceg (The Volleyball Strength Coach) Guests: Coach Sarah, Coach Dion, Coach Gerry Episode Overview: Greg and the VBSC coaching staff get real about the mental side of being an adult volleyball player. Whether you're in your late 20s, 30s, 40s, or beyond, this episode is packed with honest conversation, personal stories, and practical mindset shifts to help you keep competing, keep improving, and stop getting in your own way. Topics Covered: 🧠 The Defeated Mindset Adult athletes often carry the weight of who they used to be. Coach Sarah breaks down how comparing your current self to your peak can hold you back — and how reshaping your mindset around present-day goals changes everything. 📉 Progress Isn't Linear Coach Gerry opens up about switching his approach footwork and what it cost him short-term — and why it's worth it. If you've ever felt like you're getting worse while trying to get better, this one's for you. Greg also covers how vertical jump testing can temporarily dip during heavy training phases, and why that's actually a good sign. 🚫 Limiting Beliefs Coach Dion brings the energy with one of his favorite quotes: "If you fight for your limitations, you get to keep them." — Jim Kwik. A powerful reminder that the ceiling you put on yourself isn't real. 🏐 "I'm Not a Pro, So I Don't Need This" Greg addresses one of the biggest barriers he sees from people considering working with VBSC — the belief that professional-level coaching and resources are only for professionals. Spoiler: everyone benefits from training smarter. 📊 The Rule of Thirds Coach Sarah shares a framework used by Olympic-level athletes: roughly a third of your sessions will be bad, a third good, and a third great. Stop spiraling after a rough practice — it's part of the process. ⚖️ Balancing Life as an Adult Athlete Greg walks through the 80/20 rule for adult athletes — why 100% perfection isn't the goal, and how VBSC helps clients fit training, nutrition, and volleyball into real, busy lives. Plus a great client story about how cutting back on volleyball actually led to her best-ever performance. Quotes from This Episode: > "If you fight for your limitations, you get to keep them." — Jim Kwik (shared by Coach Dion) > "Give yourself permission to accept that this is where you are now." — Coach Sarah > "Just because you're not a pro doesn't mean you don't deserve to get better." — Greg Herceg Mentioned in This Episode: * Previous episode featuring Miles Partain (on training smarter, not more) * Jim Kwik — memory expert & author * Alex Hormozi — on the statistical reality of bad days Connect with the Coaches: - Greg Herceg: @thevolleyballstrengthcoach (Instagram/YouTube) | @vbstrengthcoach (TikTok) * Coach Sarah: @volleyballcoachsarah (Instagram) * Coach Dion: @dionlala (Instagram) * Coach Gerry: @Gerryplaysbeach (Instagram) Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe to the podcast, leave a review, and drop a comment with topics you want us to cover next week! Resources & Links: * VBSC Coaching Application [www.vb-sc.com/elite] (Link to apply for personalized volleyball coaching) Connect with Coaches: * Greg - YouTube [https://youtube.com/thevolleyballstrengthcoach] | Instagram [https://instagram.com/the.volleyball.strength.coach]

In-Season Training & Tournament Day Nutrition: How to Peak When It Matters"

Topics Covered: In-Season Training * How to define "in-season" when you play year-round or only tournament-to-tournament * Using your most important tournament as the anchor for your periodization * The VBSC in-season training structure: Full body recovery day + heavy lifting day + prep day (~2.5x/week) * What the pre-competition prep day looks like: mobility, low-impact explosive work (kettlebell swings, med ball throws, pogo hops), core, and stretching * Why partial range of motion is preferred for heavy lifts during the season * How Dion structured his 9-month professional indoor season (3x/week upper/lower/full) * Two-day full body programming for athletes with longer or more demanding seasons * Coach Sarah's approach to high school athletes who are still growing and playing 4x/week on court * The importance of cycling between weight room focus and volleyball focus throughout the year Tournament Day Nutrition * Why protein during competition is largely unnecessary * Best foods for tournament day: bananas, rice cakes with peanut butter and honey, oatmeal, trail mix, fruit, candy/candy bars * Greg's #1 hack: keep honey in your bag at all times for a quick energy boost * Gerry's strategy: front-loading carbs (sourdough toast, rice) and leaning on bananas throughout the day (6–10 on a tournament day) * Caloric demands of a beach doubles tournament: up to 7,000 calories * The golden rule: No new foods, drinks, supplements, or exercises during tournament week * How Greg discovered agave negatively affected his mood/temperament during play Hydration * Keeping water and electrolytes in separate containers * Hydrate more than you think you need to — if you're thirsty, you're already behind * Greg's go-to electrolyte brands: LMNT, ReLYTE by Redmond Real Salt, LYTES by ATH Sport * Pickle juice as an emergency cramping remedy Surviving Multi-Day Tournaments * Nothing replaces playing consecutive multi-day tournaments to physically prepare your body * Recovery between days: nutrition, hydration, sleep, and ice baths/ice packs for inflammation management * Ice as a short-term tool to reduce swelling and get through the next day * Smart energy management: save your swings in pool play when the outcome doesn't matter * Prioritizing high-quality sleep over nighttime social activities Find the Coaches: - Greg Herceg: @TheVolleyballStrengthCoach (Instagram & YouTube) | @VBStrengthCoach (TikTok) * Gerry: @GerryPlaysBeach (Instagram) * Dion: @DionLala (Instagram) * Sarah: @VolleyballCoachSarah (Instagram) Subscribe & Support: If you found this episode helpful, please subscribe to the podcast and leave a review — it means the world to us. Watch the full video on YouTube and follow us on social media for more volleyball strength and conditioning content. Resources & Links: * VBSC Coaching Application [www.vb-sc.com/elite] (Link to apply for personalized volleyball coaching) Connect with Coaches: * Greg - YouTube [https://youtube.com/thevolleyballstrengthcoach] | Instagram [https://instagram.com/the.volleyball.strength.coach]

Strength for the Court: Greg Herceg & Miles Partain Break Down Volleyball Performance

VBSC Podcast — Joint Episode with Greg Herceg & Miles Partain In this special joint episode, volleyball strength coach Greg Herceg sits down with professional beach volleyball player and Olympian Miles Partain for a wide-ranging conversation about training, performance, and what it actually takes to maximize your game on and off the court. About the Guests: Greg Herceg (@the.volleyball.strength.coach) is a former D1 All-Conference Opposite at Ball State University with a master's degree in sports performance. He's trained over 1,000 volleyball players — from high school to the pro level — and runs an online strength and conditioning business focused on volleyball-specific training for adult players. Miles Partain (@milespartain) is a former D1 All-American Setter at UCLA and a professional beach volleyball player who competed at the 2024 Paris Olympics. He's based in Los Angeles and works as a high-performance coordinator, helping junior and adult athletes maximize their potential through strength, skill, and mobility development. What We Cover: * Muscular vs. elastic jumpers — understanding the two types of force production and why it matters for volleyball training * The fascia training debate — is it overhyped, or are traditional strength coaches just protecting their brand? * Sand vs. hard surface jumping — how beach volleyball changes your elastic qualities over time and what to do about it * Standing jump vs. approach jump — why the gap between the two reveals your jumper type (Miles shares his shocking 14" standing / 39" approach split from UCLA) * Jump counts and training load — drawing parallels to baseball pitch counts and how to think about weekly jump volume * The Vert wearable — how Greg uses it with clients to track jumps and measure max effort height * The "pick two" principle — you can have health, skill improvement, OR vertical jump improvement — but not all three at once * Total recoverable volume — the framework for understanding why you can't train everything at max intensity all the time * Off-season vs. in-season programming — triphasic training blocks, GPP phases, French contrast training, and how to peak for playoffs * Conjugate vs. triphasic periodization — which approach works best for athletes who are always "in season" * Full depth vs. partial squats — when to go deep and when sport-specific range of motion is what you actually need * Upper body training for volleyball — the role (or lack thereof) of arm isolation work, and why reducing it has Miles jumping the highest he has in years * Eliminating weak links — why ankles, calves, and wrists matter more than most athletes realize Connect & Resources: - Greg Herceg: Instagram/YouTube — @thevolleyballstrengthcoach | TikTok — @vbstrengthcoach - Miles Partain: Instagram/TikTok — @milespartain | YouTube — @milesjpartain Resources & Links: * VBSC Coaching Application [www.vb-sc.com/elite] (Link to apply for personalized volleyball coaching) Connect with Coaches: * Greg - YouTube [https://youtube.com/thevolleyballstrengthcoach] | Instagram [https://instagram.com/the.volleyball.strength.coach]

Busting Volleyball Training Myths: What the Whole Coaching Staff Got Wrong Early in Their Careers: VBSC Podcast Episode 10

Welcome back to the VBSC Podcast! This week, Greg brings together the entire coaching staff for a conversation about the strength and conditioning myths they each believed early in their careers — and what changed their minds. Coaches featured in this episode: * Dion — @dion.lala [https://instagram.com/dion.lala] on Instagram * CeCe — @coachccvb [https://instagram.com/coachccvb] on Instagram & TikTok * Gerry — @jerryplaysbeach [https://instagram.com/gerryplaysbeach] on Instagram * Sarah — @volleyballcoachsarah [https://instagram.com/volleyballcoachsarah] on Instagram Myths covered in this episode: 🏐 Myth #1 — You have to be skinny to be a top-tier volleyball player (Dion) Dion shares how TJ DeFalco's infamous bulk and Darlan de Souza's dominance changed the way he thinks about body composition and performance. 🏐 Myth #2 — Athletes shouldn't lift in-season (CeCe) CeCe breaks down the difference between off-season and in-season training, why periodization matters, and how maintaining strength through the season reduces injury and keeps performance high at crunch time. 🏐 Myth #3 — You have to practice super hard so games feel easy (Gerry) Gerry makes the case for zone two cardio and aerobic base building — and why going all-out every practice is a recipe for burnout, not improvement. 🏐 Myth #4 — More volleyball volume equals better volleyball (Sarah) Sarah shares how returning from injury with a focused S&C program made her a better player than simply logging more court time ever did. 🏐 Myth #5 — Core training must be done in braced positions (Greg) Greg explains why rotational and multi-planar core work belongs in every volleyball athlete's program — not just anti-rotation exercises. 🏐 Myth #6 — Exercises must meet a specific range of motion standard to count (Greg) Greg challenges the idea of applying powerlifting movement standards to volleyball athletes, and why a smarter approach to range of motion can reduce injury risk without sacrificing results. Follow Greg & the VBSC: * Instagram & YouTube: @thevolleyballstrengthcoach [https://instagram.com/thevolleyballstrengthcoach] * TikTok: @vbstrengthcoach [https://tiktok.com/@vbstrengthcoach] If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and drop a comment letting us know what myths we should tackle next! Resources & Links: * VBSC Coaching Application [www.vb-sc.com/elite] (Link to apply for personalized volleyball coaching) Connect with Coaches: * Greg - YouTube [https://youtube.com/thevolleyballstrengthcoach] | Instagram [https://instagram.com/the.volleyball.strength.coach]

Why Being Injury-Prone Is My Greatest Coaching Credential: VBSC Podcast Episode 9

In this solo episode, Greg gets personal — sharing three of his own injury stories and the coaching lessons he extracted from each one. Whether you're currently dealing with an injury or trying to avoid one, this episode is full of hard-won wisdom from someone who's been through it. Timestamps 0:00 — Welcome & intro to the VBSC podcast  0:23 — Today's episode: a solo deep dive on injuries  1:14 — Greg's background: D1 volleyball at Ball State, 20+ years playing, sports performance degrees  2:29 — **Story #1: First calf tear (August 2019)**  7:35 — **Lesson 1a:** Don't do anything that hurts — but do everything you can that doesn't  9:35 — **Lesson 1b:** Take injuries seriously — confirm you're ready before returning to play  10:09 — **Story #2: Second calf tear (July 2021)** — and an existential crisis  13:01 — **Lesson 2:** Spikes in volume and intensity are the #1 injury risk  14:50 — The rehab that worked: 12 weeks to the highest touch of his adult life (11'2")  17:16 — **Story #3: Recent back injury** — a minor tweak that became a major problem  20:11 — **Lesson 3:** Sometimes stuff just happens — have protocols in place  21:05 — The mental side of injury recovery  23:06 — Full recap of all lessons Key Takeaways * Don't do anything that hurts — but do everything you can that doesn't * Confirm you're truly ready before returning to play * Beware of spikes in volume and intensity * Sometimes injuries happen anyway — have a rehab protocol ready * The mental comeback is often harder than the physical one Resources & Links: * VBSC Coaching Application [www.vb-sc.com/elite] (Link to apply for personalized volleyball coaching) Connect with Coaches: * Greg - YouTube [https://youtube.com/thevolleyballstrengthcoach] | Instagram [https://instagram.com/the.volleyball.strength.coach]