Today’s guest is Austin Jochum. Austin Jochum is the founder of Jochum Strength, a former All-Conference safety turned performance coach known for playful, movement-rich training. He blends strength, speed, and adaptability to help athletes build real-world capability and enjoy the process.
So often, coaches inadvertently play by the formal “rules” of coaching, through substantial instruction, within smaller boxes of training. Gameplay and sport itself are the ultimate example of task-based stimulation, chaos, and problem-solving, and the more we learn from it, the more effective our training can become.
In this episode, Austin Jochum and I explore how coaching transforms when you trade rigid cues for play, stimulus, and athlete-driven learning. We dig into why intent and novelty matter, how to “win the day” without chasing constant PRs, and the power of environments that let athletes self-organize. Austin speaks on his recent dive into improving his Olympic lifting, and subsequent improvement in explosive athletic power, along with the masculine and feminine nature of the snatch and clean and jerk, respectively. Finally, Austin also breaks down the JST Olympics—his team-based approach that’s exploding motivation, competition, and performance in the gym.
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0:00 – Austin’s background, wrestling influence, and early training lens
8:12 – How wrestling shaped his coaching, problem-solving, and creativity
14:30 – Working with movement constraints, unpredictability, and the “maze” idea
22:40 – Why he prioritizes exploration over instruction
31:18 – Building athletic bandwidth through games and environmental design
38:01 – Touch on wrestling in training and contact-oriented movement
45:10 – Heavy rope training, rhythm, and full-body sequencing
52:46 – Hiring coaches and building culture inside his gym
1:01:37 – Athlete intuitiveness, imitation, and imitation-driven learning
1:10:55 – Recovery methods, cold exposure, and principles behind them
1:18:42 – Breathing mechanics, sensory awareness, and relaxation
1:24:52 – Tempo, rhythm, and “feel” in athletic movement
1:30:48 – Coaching philosophy and where Austin is heading next
Actionable Takeaways
8:12 – Use problem-solving sports to shape athletic intelligence
Wrestling taught Austin to read bodies, adapt instantly, and explore solutions without external cues.
Add low-level grappling or tagging games to build instinctive reaction.
Favor tasks where athletes solve problems on their own rather than through constant cueing.
Let athletes “feel” leverage, pressure, and timing instead of explaining it.
14:30 – Build constraints that shape behavior instead of commanding technique
Austin’s “maze” concept uses environment and rules to funnel athletes into better movement patterns.
Use boundaries, footwork boxes, or timing rules to nudge athletes into desired solutions.
Ask “what would make the athlete naturally move better?” instead of “how do I cue it?”
Encourage unpredictable tasks that force athletes to explore and adapt.
22:40 – Exploration outperforms instruction for long-term development
Austin finds that athletes learn faster when they discover solutions.
Give them space to experiment before layering instruction.
Adjust one variable at a time and let athletes reorganize around it.
Use questions (“What did you feel? What would you try next?”) to guide reflection.
31:18 – Games expand movement bandwidth
Austin uses play-based drills to build coordination, elasticity, and adaptability.
Rotate games: tag, dodgeball variations, reactive pursuit, to challenge perception-action loops.
Use small-sided tasks to increase decision density without overthinking.
Keep the focus on fun: fun increases intent and frees up movement quality.
38:01 – Use wrestling-inspired drills for strength without rigidity
Wrestling movements gave Austin strong connective tissue without bulky lifting.
Use partner-resistance tasks for whole-body strength and tension awareness.
Build isometrics out of wrestling positions for joint integrity.
Allow controlled chaos; body contact builds stabilizing capacity.
45:10 – Heavy rope work for rhythm, sequencing, and tissue tolerance
Austin relies on heavy rope patterns for global coordination.
Use ropes to sync hands, feet, hips, and breath.
Program flowing, continuous patterns to teach timing and smooth force transfer.
Start with simple rhythms, then build patterns that cross midline.
52:46 – Culture and community determine training success
Austin emphasizes hiring people who share curiosity and a growth