02/23/26
For the past five years, I have had an unshakeable vision to enhance athletic performance across ages. This began with my stint as a Performance Science Associate with the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2021. During that time, I observed the power of strength and conditioning as well as how simple it could be to regress to development populations.
My first opportunity to materialize this vision began at the University of Nebraska-Kearney as the Director of Loper Performance. We experienced many successes, were able to integrate strength and conditioning and sport science into a long-term athlete development program, and develop the next generation of athletes and coaches. As the program grew from 10 kids to 23 to 60, I realized the potential that this vision had.
A further realization were the neuromuscular adaptations that we observed in youth populations that were similar to adult collegiate athlete populations. In my mind, if youth possessed the capacity to express force and power while performing resistance exercises with optimal technique, then the sky was the limit. What we observed were isometric force-time characteristics from 0-250 ms that were similar to adult counterparts. If you are familiar with resistance training, then you are aware that this type of adaptation is highly sought after in collegiate and professional athletic populations. This is due to the fact that many sports require optimal amounts of force to be produce rapidly to meet the demands of sport.
After some time, an opportunity at the University of Kansas presented itself. This opportunity would allow me to introduce a system of strength and conditioning to a larger population of youth athletes. Additionally, there would be the potential to mentor undergraduate and graduate students throughout the process to ensure the sustainability of the vision.
In 2023, Jayhawk Performance was founded with a vision of being a world-leader in long-term athlete development. After renovating our space in 2024, our program launched during the summer of 2024 with great success. Although we experienced great success, I knew that the potential for increased impact was present. So, we spent the next year focusing on staff development, refining the system, and developing a relationship with Jambars FC. Jambars FC is a soccer academy that was formerly affiliated with the BVB soccer club in Germany. Each of our vision’s naturally aligned so in 2025 we began the planning process to provide strength and conditioning programming for their 200 athletes.
One year later, we were able to see our vision materialize into a 6-week winter strength and conditioning program that lasted from January-February 2026. Within the Jayhawk Performance program, we were able to implement our system of training for athletes aged 10-19 while also developing the next generation of coaches. The most fulfilling aspect of this was how well our system worked under extreme pressure. That is not to say that it was perfect, but that it worked.
Throughout three short mesocycles, we were able to establish a basis of general and specific fitness. This was mostly accomplished through our system of exercise regression and progression, load management, training efficiency, and the 10-5-3 resistance training approach. In the Jambars FC Academy, there are three levels of athlete; juniors/junior premier, premier, and academy. In the Jayhawk Performance program, there are three programs; learn to lift, strength school, and athlete development. Again, there was natural alignment.
Our baseline testing in November 2025 provided us with insight into normative characteristics and performance profiles. Our training program in 2026 provided us with insight into how populations whose neuromuscular system is still rather malleable respond to a form of condensed block periodization.
For each group, there was one 1-hour training session per week. Each session began with a warm-up, followed by countermovement vertical jumps on force plates, then concluded with a strength and conditioning session.
In the first 2-week block of training most session followed the 10-5-3 program where there was a focus on functional exercises first, strength exercises second, and power exercises third. In the second 2-week block there was a similar focus but a shift towards specific functional exercises first, with the rest remaining the same. In the last 1-week block the focus shifted further to change of direction speed first, followed by functional, strength, and power exercises.
To our amazement, improvements in jump height, force production, and power production were observed. Physiologically, this is a novel insight related to the power of organized resistance training and how condensed block periodization utilizing 10-5-3 can enhance direct contributors to athletic performance.
Of course, this would not have been possible without an amazing group of people willing to dedicate their time to enhancing the lives of the next generation. Although this will conclude this chapter, a new vision will be uncovered as we begin analysis of our training and testing data.
Quincy Johnson
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