Advertise on podcast: The Coach Dave Love Podcast

In this episode of The Coach Dave Love Podcast, Dave and Matt explore two foundational concepts in motor learning: The Challenge Point Framework and Task Complexity. Understanding these principles is critical for designing practices that actually improve shooting performance rather than just looking productive. Dave and Matt discuss: What the Challenge Point Framework is and why it matters for shooting developmentHow to find the optimal level of difficulty for each playerThe relationship between task complexity and skill transferCommon mistakes coaches make when designing practice tasksHow to adjust challenge and complexity based on player skill level and training phaseThis episode will help you design more effective workouts by understanding when to increase difficulty, when to simplify, and how to match practice demands to your players' current capabilities. 🎧 Want your question featured on the show? Record a voice note with your name, location, and coaching role, and email it to: [email protected]

In this episode of The Coach Dave Love Podcast, Dave and Matt take a deep dive into the world of shooting devices. From shooting sleeves to guided hands to arc trainers, these tools are everywhere in basketball training—but are they helping or hurting player development? Dave breaks down: The most popular shooting devices on the market todayWhat each device is actually designed to do (and what it can't do)The unintended consequences and limitations coaches need to watch forWhat Dave uses instead—and why constraints-based alternatives often work betterWhether you're considering investing in devices for your program or trying to decide if they're worth the hype, this episode will help you make informed decisions grounded in skill acquisition principles. 🎧 Want your question featured on the show? Record a voice note with your name, location, and coaching role, and email it to: [email protected]

In this episode of The Coach Dave Love Podcast, we revisit one of the most important concepts in shooting mechanics: Positive and Negative Power. Matt Robertson and I break down how these forces shape shooting form and how they connect to ecological approaches to motor learning. We explore: What Positive and Negative Power actually mean in shooting mechanicsHow these concepts align with an Ecological Dynamics framework for skill developmentThe many parts of the shooting motion that can create both Positive and Negative PowerHow understanding these forces helps coaches make better intervention decisionsWhether you're working with youth players or elite shooters, this episode will reshape how you think about energy transfer and shooting mechanics. 🎧 Want your question featured on the show? Record a voice note with your name, location, and coaching role, and email it to: [email protected]

In this episode of The Coach Dave Love Podcast, we break down a deceptively simple concept — shot arc — and dig into how to diagnose and improve it with purpose. We cover: How to determine if a player’s arc is actually a problem The most common physical habits that lead to flat shots Practical ways to build better arc Whether you’re coaching a youth player or an elite shooter, this episode will help you better understand the cause-effect relationships behind arc and give you a roadmap for improvement. 🎧 Want your question featured on the show? Record a voice note with your name, location, and coaching role, and email it to: [email protected]

In this episode of The Coach Dave Love Podcast, we dive into the concept of Periodization and how it can elevate shooting development when applied with purpose. Matt and I explore: What Periodization means in the context of skill development The phases of shooting development (Movement Coordination, Skill Adaptability, Performance) How to schedule workouts based on time of year, player needs, and specific goals This episode connects theory with practical application, and helps coaches rethink how they sequence and schedule shooting work to maximize transfer. 📖 Want to go deeper? Read the research-informed blog:👉 https://coachdavelove.com/periodization-of-shooting-development/ 🎧 Got a question you want featured? Record a voice note (include your name, location, and coaching role) and email it to: [email protected]

In this episode of The Coach Dave Love Podcast, we break down one of the most undervalued but essential parts of the shooting motion: the Set Point. Matt and Dave discuss: What the Set Point actually is and why it matters Why Dave prioritizes it over other parts of the shot (like the dip or lift) How to train the Set Point in ways that help players improve consistency and accuracy under pressure 📖 Read the supporting blog: Why I Prioritize the Set Point 🎧 Want your question featured on a future episode? Record a voice note with your name, location, and coaching role—and send it to: [email protected]

In this episode of The Coach Dave Love Podcast, we challenge one of the most common assumptions in basketball development: that form shooting is a beginner’s tool. Coach Dave explains: Why traditional form shooting may actually do more harm than good for young players How certain pros can benefit from form shooting—when it's done with the right intent and design What coaches can do instead to teach mechanics without over-restricting exploration We also answer a listener question about female youth players and the use of lower set points, and how to help players without locking them into habits they’ll need to break later. 📖 Supporting blog: Is Form Shooting for Pros? 🎧 Got a question you want featured on the show? Record a voice note with your name, location, and coaching role, and email it to: [email protected]

In this episode of The Coach Dave Love Podcast, we dive into the concept of constraints — one of the most powerful tools in modern coaching and skill acquisition. Dave breaks down: What constraints actually are, and how they’re used in shooting development The different types and intentions behind constraints (e.g., to afford, stabilize, perturb) A list of the most common constraints Dave uses with NBA players and youth athletes alike Whether you’re new to the Constraints-Led Approach (CLA) or looking to refine your application, this episode gives you real-world examples you can use immediately in your practices. 📽️ Related video: The Sandbox Analogy Explained 🎧 Want to have your question featured on the show? Record a voice note with your name, location, and coaching role, then email it to: [email protected]

How I Work on Balance in a Player’s ShotBalance isn’t stillness—it’s control of energy through the shot. In this episode I break down four kinds of balance I coach, the habits that stabilize them, and how I periodize balance work across a week and a season. What we cover Why balance matters: great shooters don’t eliminate motion; they direct it toward the rim and minimize negative energy. The four balance problems I diagnose: Static, Transitional, Dynamic, and Reactive—each demands different constraints and drill design.  Habits that travel: feet outside hips, athletic posture, engaged core—used as tools inside movement-rich tasks, not as static positions.  Designing practice with PoST: when I live in Movement Coordination Training vs. Skill Adaptability Training (MV/CT/TBT) vs. Performance Training, and how I move non-linearly between them.  Towards the end of the episode we have a listener question. We close with Hammer Action showing the push drill on video—how to use external pressure to force better energy direction and quick balance recovery. Links & references Blog: How I Work on Balance in a Player’s Shot  Blog: Periodization of Shooting Development (PoST overview with MCST, SAT-MV/CT/TBT, PT).

In this episode of The Coach Dave Love Podcast, we dive into one of the most polarizing shooting mechanics in basketball: the Dip. Once seen as a bad habit to eliminate, the pendulum has now swung in the opposite direction—some coaches actively teach it. But what's the science behind it? What are the trade-offs when players dip versus when they don’t? And how can coaches make informed decisions rather than rely on trends? Dave and Matt explore: What the dip does (and doesn't) accomplish from a physics perspective How it fits within Dave’s Sandbox Analogy of shooting mechanics How coaches can help players explore the dip more intentionally and effectively Plus: we feature our first-ever listener question! Want to be next? Record a voice note with your name, location, and question and email it to: [email protected] Referenced blogs: The Physics of the Basketball Dip Exploring the Sandbox: Rethinking Skill in Basketball Shooting

In this episode, Coach Dave Love is joined by EuroLeague star and former NBA guard Kevin Pangos, who shares his evolving journey from elite player to aspiring coach. As Kevin prepares for life after playing, he offers a rare and thoughtful perspective on what great coaching really looks like—grounded in his firsthand experiences at the highest levels of the game. Together, Dave and Kevin discuss: The limitations of traditional coaching methods like explicit instruction and block practice How Kevin is beginning to form his own coaching philosophy The powerful impact of concepts like functional movement variability and guided exploration Kevin also shares how Coach Love’s Sandbox Analogy blog has reshaped how he thinks about shooting development—and how coaches can empower players without micromanaging. 🎙 Want to submit a question for a future episode?Record a voice note with your name, location, and question, and email it to [email protected]

What is "touch" in shooting—and can it actually be measured? In this episode, Coach Dave Love breaks down a concept that has long been thought of as instinctual or unteachable: touch. Dave explains to Matt how the relationship between arc and velocity gives us the key to quantifying this elusive skill. By understanding how these two variables interact, coaches and players can begin to diagnose what touch really is, why it matters, and how to improve it. 👉 For deeper understanding, follow along with the visual graphics in the video version of the podcast👉 Or dive into the blog: Quantifying Touch 🎙 Have a coaching question for Dave?Record a voice note with your name, location, and question, and email it to [email protected] — your question might be featured in a future episode!

We’re back! In the Season 2 premiere, Coach Dave Love updates listeners on everything that’s been happening behind the scenes. From working with an NBA team, to beginning a Master’s in Skill Acquisition, and launching his new book ShotMetrics — there’s a lot to catch up on. Then we dive deep into what ShotMetrics really is. More than just a buzzword, it’s a revolutionary way to evaluate and develop shooting mechanics using measurable data. Dave breaks down how this framework can reshape the way coaches teach and players learn, and how it's already being used at the highest levels of the game. 👉 Grab your copy of ShotMetrics on Amazon: ShotMetrics Book👉 Explore the blog on ShotMetrics: ShotMetrics Blog 🎙 Want your question featured on a future episode?Send a voice note to [email protected]. Be sure to include your name, where you coach, and your question — we’d love to feature your voice in an upcoming show.

Join Coach Dave Love and co-host Matt Robertson on "The Coach Dave Love Podcast" as they delve into the evolution of form shooting practices in basketball. This episode revisits Coach Love’s signature form shooting drills—Isolation Drill, ABC, and Slow to Quick—and discusses their integration into a more dynamic and representative Ecological Dynamics approach. Episode Highlights: Explanation of Form Shooting Drills: Explore how Coach Love’s three key drills—Isolation Drill, ABC, and Slow to Quick—are designed but also how he uses them within an Ecological Dynamics Approach.Adaptation to Ecological Dynamics: Discuss the shift from traditional, static form shooting exercises to a Contemporary Form Shooting approach that incorporates real-game contexts and player decision-making.Definition and Benefits of Contemporary Form Shooting: Define Contemporary Form Shooting and discuss its advantages over traditional methods, including better skill transfer to games, increased adaptability, and enhanced player engagement.This episode provides insights into modern training techniques that can help coaches and players develop more effective and adaptable shooting skills, ensuring that practice aligns closely with game demands.

Join Coach Dave Love and co-host Matt Robertson on "The Coach Dave Love Podcast" as they dive into the intricacies of crafting an effective solo workout, particularly focused on shooting. In this episode, Matt shares his journey preparing for the upcoming semi-professional basketball season, discussing the personal training strategies he’s implementing to enhance his shooting skills, inspired by a year of insights from the podcast. Episode Highlights: Matt’s Training Regimen: Matt outlines his current solo workout routine, explaining the techniques and drills he’s incorporated to improve his shooting as he gears up for his season. Learning from Experience: Reflect on the lessons Matt has learned over the past year from the podcast, detailing how these have influenced his approach to training and skill development. Dave’s Expert Advice: Coach Dave Love offers his professional insights on Matt’s current practices, suggesting enhancements and additional methods to maximize efficiency and effectiveness in solo training sessions. Broader Applications: Dave discusses how listeners can apply these principles to their own workouts, emphasizing the importance of structure, goal setting, and adaptability in solo training environments. Whether you’re an aspiring player or a seasoned coach, this episode provides valuable tips on designing solo workouts that are not only rigorous but also tailored to individual skill development needs. Tune in to learn how to take your training to the next level, even when you’re on your own.