What Swimming can Learn from Tony Holler’s "Feed the Cats" Sprint Program

Coach Holler's philosophy promotes a smart and efficient training approach with a focus on speed, individualization, quality over quantity, and sufficient rest and recovery.

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SWIM NERD
November 13, 2023

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What Swimming can Learn from Tony Holler’s “Feed the Cats” Sprint Program

I’ve been bugging Brett to get Coach Tony Holler on the pod for a couple of years now and we finally got him!

Coach Holler has been the track coach at Plainfield North High School for nearly 4 decades. He is the creator of the "Feed the Cats" training philosophy where speed and recovery are king.

After an impressive 38 years in the chemistry classroom, he gracefully retired and moved on to conquer the world of coaching, having consulted with numerous professional teams across several sports.

Coach Holler believes that swimming needs a “Feed the Cats” approach to help attract athletes to the sport as well as keep the ones we’ve got. “History is written about the winners in sport. The narrative is written by the survivors.”

Here are a few of the things Brett and Coach Holler discuss:

  • Practice should look like performance.

  • Prioritize speed first.

  • Having a 4 Day Work Week.

  • Proper Recovery Time.

  • How sprinting effects the aerobic system.

  • The science of ATP’s, glycolysis, and lactate.

  • How Christian McCaffrey trains with Coach Brian Kula.

  • Comparing the 200 meter on the track to the 50 in the pool.

  • Cutting out periodization.

I hope this podcast blows your mind like it did mine! 🤯

Watch on YouTube here.