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Tim Suchomel

@drtsuchomel

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Associate Professor at @pittofficial and the @pitt_sports_science Master’s Program Director

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The bar and the athlete do not have to follow the same velocity pattern during a lift.

That sounds obvious when you watch the transition and catch. It gets easier to forget when a device gives you one clean bar-speed number at the end of the rep.

Across the five derivatives and loads we tested, barbell velocity was greater than system velocity. That tells us the measurements are different. It does not tell us which lift will make an athlete faster after weeks of training. This was a testing study, not a training intervention.

What are you trying to learn from that bar-speed reading?

📚 Paper: Suchomel, Kissick, Techmanski, Mann & Comfort (2025). “Velocity-Based Training With Weightlifting Derivatives: Barbell and System Velocity Comparisons.” Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 39(2), 135–146.

https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0000000000004962

#FadFriday #VBT #WeightliftingDerivatives

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Before using a velocity number to make a decision, I want four labels attached to it:

1. Exercise: What movement did they perform?
2. Load: How was it prescribed?
3. Object: Was the bar or the athlete-plus-load system measured?
4. Metric: Mean velocity or peak velocity?

Our study makes the third point hard to ignore. The bar was faster than the system in every exercise and load combination we tested.

“Fast” by itself isn’t enough information to coach from. Save this checklist for the next time a velocity chart lands on your desk.

📚 Paper: Suchomel, Kissick, Techmanski, Mann & Comfort (2025). “Velocity-Based Training With Weightlifting Derivatives: Barbell and System Velocity Comparisons.” Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 39(2), 135–146.

https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0000000000004962

#FadFriday #VelocityBasedTraining #StrengthAndConditioning

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How can someone pull 140% of their hang power clean max?

Because they aren’t catching it.

In our study, jump shrugs and hang high pulls were tested from 20–100% of hang power clean 1RM. Hang power cleans were tested from 20–80%. Hang clean pulls and countermovement shrugs went as high as 140%.

Here is the detail to keep straight: those percentages refer to the hang power clean 1RM, not the maximum for each individual derivative.

That opens up different loading options. It does not mean that 140% is automatically the right load for your athlete.

How do you select loads for your pulling derivatives?

📚 Paper: Suchomel, Kissick, Techmanski, Mann & Comfort (2025). “Velocity-Based Training With Weightlifting Derivatives: Barbell and System Velocity Comparisons.” Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 39(2), 135–146.

https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0000000000004962

#FadFriday #OlympicLifting #StrengthAndConditioning

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Jump shrug. Hang high pull. Hang power clean. Hang clean pull. Countermovement shrug.

They all belong to the same broad family, but they are different tasks. In our study, we measured barbell and system velocity across all five and a range of loads. Bar velocity exceeded system velocity every time.

So when someone hands me one velocity cutoff for “Olympic lift variations,” I want more information. Which lift? Which load? Mean or peak? Bar or system?

A number without those labels can create confidence it hasn’t earned.

Have you seen one velocity zone applied to every derivative?

📚 Paper: Suchomel, Kissick, Techmanski, Mann & Comfort (2025). “Velocity-Based Training With Weightlifting Derivatives: Barbell and System Velocity Comparisons.” Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 39(2), 135–146.

https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0000000000004962

#FadFriday #VBT #WeightliftingDerivatives #StrengthAndConditioning

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“If the bar is moving fast, the athlete is moving fast.”

Are we sure about that?

In a study I coauthored, we measured both barbell velocity and the velocity of the athlete-plus-load system during five weightlifting derivatives. At every exercise and load combination we tested, the bar moved faster than the system. That held for both mean and peak velocity.

The bar speed on your device is a real measurement. The question is what you think that number represents.

The next time someone says an exercise is “fast,” ask: fast for what?

#FadFriday #VelocityBasedTraining #StrengthAndConditioning #WeightliftingDerivatives

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#sportperformance #strengthandconditioning #necathletics #newenglandcollege #gogrims

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🔥 WHAT A CONFERENCE 🔥

Earlier this year, the IUSCA community came together at @leedsbeckettofficial for the 2026 IUSCA International Conference on Strength and Conditioning — and what a day it was.

From thought-provoking presentations and practical insights, to conversations in the corridors and connections made throughout the day, the conference brought together coaches, practitioners, academics and students from across the strength & conditioning community.

🎤 World-class speakers
🧠 Evidence-informed practice
🤝 Meaningful conversations
📚 Practical learning
💪 A community passionate about S&C

Across the day, our speakers explored some of the key challenges, ideas and innovations shaping strength & conditioning — from athlete availability and programme design, to F1 performance, power, speed, adaptation and coaching practice.

With insights from Joe Kenn, Tim Suchomel, John Noonan, Alex Wolf, Paul Comfort, Derek Hansen, Mark Campbell, there was something for every coach, practitioner and professional in the room.

And if you’ve been following our recent posts, you’ll have seen just how much there was to take away — from athlete availability and programme design, to F1 performance, power, speed, adaptation and coaching practice.

But 2026 is now in the books…

👀 And behind the scenes, work is already underway for 2027!

We’re taking everything we loved about this year’s conference and building towards something even bigger for the S&C community.

2027 is coming!

Stay tuned. 👊

#IUSCA #IUSCAConference #StrengthAndConditioning #SportsPerformance #SAndC

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Education gives you the theretical knowledge. Experience teaches you how to use it.

For strength and conditioning coaches, developing your knowledge through education is essential—but being able to take that knowledge into the real world and adapt it to the athlete, environment and situation is where the real learning happens.

No two coaching environments are the same. The ability to problem-solve, adapt and make effective decisions in real time is a skill that can only truly be developed through hands-on experience.

At the IUSCA 2026 International Conference on Strength and Conditioning, @drtsuchomel and the rest of the panel discussed the importance of combining education with practical experience to develop as a strength and conditioning coach.

Because being a great coach isn’t just about knowing the answer—it’s about knowing how to apply it when the situation demands it.

🤔💭 How important do you think practical experience is alongside formal education?

#StrengthAndConditioning #CoachDevelopment #CoachEducation #AthleteDevelopment #SportsPerformance

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A recent expert survey by Ladlow et al. (2026) showed disagreement among force plate experts. What five CMJ metrics would you pick and why? Provide any context you need! #forceplates #countermovementjump #strengthandconditioning #sportscience #lessnoisemoresignal

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Missed the episode with @drtsuchomel , here is a little recap!

If you want to catch the full episode, click link in bio!!

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@drtsuchomel brings up a great point to which I think is important to explore! Are our athletes strong enough for the task at hand?

Are buckets full? If not, should they be or are they ok where they are?

Let me know your thoughts!!

For full episode, click link in bio!!

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Breaking down loading for accentuated eccentric loading with @drtsuchomel !

For latest episode, click link in bio!!

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