In Episode 064 of the LEO Training Podcast I had the honor to sit down and interview Dr. Volker Nolte. Volker and I met at the 2016 Joy of Sculling Conference in Saratoga Springs, NY.
Dr. Volker Nolte is the head rowing coach and assistant professor at Western, where he teaches biomechanics and coaching. Since 1993, Nolte’s leadership has led the men’s rowing team to 11 Ontario University Athletics Championships and four Canadian University Rowing Championships. Since 2010, he is also the head coach for the women’s program. In the 2011-12 season, Nolte coached both the men’s and women’s teams to OUA championships. In the 2013-14 season, Western captured both the OUA Men's and Women's titles again. In addition, the men's and women's teams were both 2013 National Champions, winning titles at the Canadian University Rowing Championships. The 2014-15 season saw the women take their second consecutive OUA, and National titles, while the men placed second at Provincials and fourth at Nationals.
Nolte’s work as a coach was recognized several times over his career. He received the Award of Merit from Rowing Canada Aviron in 1996 and the International Rowing Federation (FISA) in 1998, the President’s Award from Rowing Canada in 1998 and was the 3M Coach of the Year in 2001. In 2006 and 2007, he was awarded Coach of the Year from the Canadian University Rowing Association and was the first Western coach after Jack Fairs who received the Jack Fairs Coaching Award of Merit in 2009. In 2010, Nolte was presented with the Coaches’ Recognition Award from Rowing Canada.
Nolte’s expertise is documented many times through invitations that he receives from rowing programs all over the world. The latest acknowledgments came through invitations from New Zealand Rowing (2007), US Rowing (2008) and the German Rowing Association (2010). He has also been invited to guest-coach both famous Boatrace Crews Oxford (2006) and Cambridge (2010) in years when they won their races. In addition, he was the lightweight men’s national team coach with Rowing Canada from 1992 to 2000. His national team crews won an Olympic silver medal at the 1996 Atlanta Games, two World Championship titles in 1993 and 2000, and several more medals at World Championships.
Nolte received both a Physical Education Diploma (1976) and a Civil Engineering Diploma (1979) from the University of Saarbrücken (Germany), and a Ph.D. (1984) from the German Sport University in Cologne (Germany) in Biomechanics.
He is an internationally acknowledged expert in biomechanics. Together with his expertise in the coaching field, he frequently presents at scientific and coach education conferences worldwide. His research includes coaching and biomechanics of high performance sport, especially rowing. He is also a distinguished researcher in the field of sport equipment. He co-holds international patents for isokinetic training machines and his developments range from special measurement tools up to new boat designs in rowing. His research has produced many papers in refereed journals, articles in various publications and the popular book “Rowing Faster”, now in its second edition (2011).
Nolte is an experienced rower, representing his home country Germany at several World Championships and he is still a keen competitor in the Master’s events.
Here is what we discuss in this interview:
Episode 063 of the LEO Training Podcast features personal trainer, Levi Markwardt. Levi has a great story to share. He has worked himself back into health and fitness and lose over 100 pounds utilizing bodyweight and kettlebells. He also is the strength coach for a local high school.
Here is what we cover in this interview:
This week’s guest is Dr. Fiona Wilson. Dr. Fiona Wilson is a chartered physiotherapist with over 25 years of postgraduate experience. She is the former Chief physiotherapist for Rowing Ireland with a particular interest in low back pain and injuries in rowing. She is a regular contributor to WorldRowing.com and has authored a few articles in the past year regarding low back injury mechanisms and rehabilitation.
Here is what you will learn in this interview:
In this week's podcast episode my guest is Dr. Charlie Weingroff.
Charlie is a Doctor of Physical Therapy, a Certified Athletic Trainer, and a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist. He is currently a Physical Therapist and Strength & Conditioning Coach at Drive 495 in Manhattan, NY and Fit For Life in Marlboro, NJ. He also is a member of the Nike Executive Performance Council and serves as the Physical Performance Lead and Head Strength & Conditioning Coach for the Canadian Men’s National Basketball Team. Prior to returning to his home of NJ, he was the Director of Physical Performance and Resiliency and Lead Physical Therapist for the United States Marines Corps Special Operations Command in Camp Lejeune, NC. He graduated from Ursinus College with a degree in Exercise and Sports Science in 1996, and went on to earn an MSPT in 1999 and DPT in 2010 from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey.
Beginning in 1998, Charlie spent 12 seasons of professional basketball, highlighted by his time as the Head Strength & Conditioning Coach and Assistant Athletic Trainer for the Philadelphia 76ers in the NBA. Among the highlights of his tenure in Philadelphia was being part of the medical staff that ranked 1st in the NBA in Player Missed Games in the 2005-06 season.
Through rehabbing patients, he subscribes to a movement-based approach popularized by the works of Gray Cook, Mike Boyle, Val Nsedkin, Dr. Pavel Kolar, and Louie Simmons. In training athletes and clients, he champions the principles of the Functional Movement Screen and sound, evidence-based training principles. Some of the methodologies Charlie is formally trained in include DNS, ART, Dry Needling, Graston, FMS/SFMA, TPI, and StrongFirst.
Aside from working with patients, athletes and clients, he is also under the bar himself. In 2007, he achieved AAPF Elite status in the 220 weight class with a total of 1915 pounds. His best powerlifting competition total is 800 squat, 510 bench press and 605 deadlift.
Currently Charlie is available to treat, train, and consult at Drive495 in Manhattan, NYC and Fit For Life in Marlboro, NJ. Charlie often teaches and speaks internationally and consults regularly with Nike, the Roddick-Grunberg Tennis Academy, Perform Better, and Equinox Fitness Clubs.
Here are some of the topics Charlie and I discuss during our interview: