#53: Strength, Endurance, and Performance: Coaching Insights from Chris Judy

In this episode, I sit down with Chris Judy, an elite strength and endurance coach with experience in rugby, obstacle course racing, and high-level endurance training. Chris shares his coaching journey, from building a strength program for the University of Utah Rugby Team to training world-class OCR athletes and personal training at high-level gyms like Equinox and Ultimate Performance.

We dive deep into balancing strength and endurance, developing resilient athletes, and building training programs that produce real-world results. Chris explains his approach to coaching, injury prevention, and performance tracking—including why grip strength separates winners in OCR, how to train for max power output in rugby, and the best endurance tests to track aerobic base.

If you’re a coach, athlete, or someone looking to optimize your training, this episode is loaded with practical takeaways and expert insights.

Topics Covered:

• Chris’s path into strength and endurance coaching

• Training the University of Utah Rugby Team

• Strength and conditioning for rugby players

• How he built world-class OCR athletes

• Why grip strength determines success in obstacle racing

• Balancing strength and endurance in training

• His favorite training protocols for endurance athletes

• Plyometrics for injury prevention

• Lessons from coaching at Equinox and Ultimate Performance

• The most common mistakes trainers and coaches make

Guest Bio:

Chris Judy is a strength and endurance coach with deep experience in rugby, OCR, and endurance sports. He has trained University of Utah rugby players, Spartan World Championship winners, and worked at Equinox and Ultimate Performance, specializing in elite personal training and athlete development. His expertise spans strength, endurance, power development, and injury prevention, making him a highly respected coach in the performance training space.

Episode Highlights:

• [00:02:15] How Chris started coaching and developed his training philosophy

• [00:10:30] Building a rugby strength and conditioning program from scratch

• [00:20:05] Strength benchmarks for rugby players and why durability matters

• [00:28:50] Coaching an athlete to an OCR World Championship win

• [00:35:45] Grip strength training for OCR and why it’s crucial

• [00:45:10] Balancing endurance and strength training effectively

• [00:52:30] Using plyometrics for injury prevention

• [01:05:40] Lessons from Equinox and Ultimate Performance

• [01:15:20] The most common training mistakes coaches make

• [01:25:00] Lightning Round Q&A

Resources & Links:

• Follow Chris Judy: @ChrisJudyTraining

• Learn more about OCR and Rugby Strength Training: www.chrisjudyperformance.com

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  • Check out the MTI Athlete Team
  • Apply to be a Paid MTI Athlete
  • MTI's Daily Programming Streams

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