Jed Smith MA, CSCS

USA Weightlifting Regional Coach

USA Weightlifting Sports Performance Coach

USA Track and Field Level 1 Coach

Jed Smith is the Director of Strength and Conditioning and an Exercise Science Instructor at the University of Northern Iowa where he has been a coach and instructor since 2005.  Coach Smith oversees 18 NCAA Division 1 Sport Teams and the staff that trains them.  Smith also teaches students in a Master’s Degree program designed to develop Strength and Conditioning Professionals.  Prior to joining the staff at the University of Northern Iowa, Smith was the Explosive Strength Training Coach for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League. Coach Smith also coached the Minnesota Wild players of the National Hockey League during the NHL Lockout of 2004 – 2005.  In 2004, Smith was also the Strength and Conditioning Coach for the Minnesota Thunder professional soccer team in the United Soccer League.  In 2007, Coach Smith was the Strength and Conditioning Coach for Team USA Basketball at the World University Games in Bangkok Thailand.

Smith oversees a Regional Training Center for USA Weightlifting, the Olympic Sport in Waterloo Iowa.  Jed is a National Instructor for USA Weightlifting.  He has given presentations and seminars throughout the United States on Strength Training, as well as certifies strength and conditioning coaches throughout the United States.

Workshop

To compete at an elite level in modern sports, proper strength training is critical.  The speed and strength of athletes continues to increase at all levels.  The reason for such improvement in performance is due to breakthroughs in the ever developing field of Strength and Conditioning.  In the United States, the profession of Strength and Conditioning has boomed over the last 15 years.  There has become a demand for Strength and Conditioning Specialists at all levels of training in the United States.  Methods of developing power in an athlete to increase reactive strength, high end speed, jumping ability, and deceleration ability are continually being researched and developed.   On your feet weight training movements taken from competitive Weightlifting have become to be the standard in training for sport in the United States.  The full movements involved in Weightlifting, as well as the assistance movements developed for aiding Weightlifters have been proven to be most beneficial in increasing the proper speed-strength qualities that are essential for competing at elite levels.  This presentation will discuss methods used by professionals in the United States for developing power in the weight room, strength for body control, and proper mechanics for deceleration, stopping, and directional change for elite level athletes.