Interview with Cam Davidson

Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach

Penn State University

There aren't many strength and conditioning coaches that get the opportunity to work with national championship teams or athletes. Cam Davidson has been a part of them in three different sports. Davidson, who is an assistant strength and conditioning coach for the Nittany Lions' Olympic Sports has worked with men's ice hockey, track and field, the four-time national champion women's volleyball team, and the three-time national champion wrestling team, among others.  Davidson also trains three-time national champion and Olympic hopeful shot-putter, Ryan Whiting.

I had the privilege of witnessing Cam's wisdom and his passion for strength and conditioning during his presentations, hands-on coaching, and his own training. He spoke at the Central Ohio Strength and Conditioning Clinic in May of 2012 on max effort training for female athletes where he displayed incredible knowledge of the scientific foundations and the practical application of his training modalities. Cam has the uncanny ability to communicate complex training methodologies in a very clear and enthusiastic manner. This summer while training at The Columbus Weightlifting Club, Cam visited the S4 Compound and coached me through the Olympic lifts.  He was also the key contributor on Olympic Lifting for Athletes: Using Static Holds to Improve Technique, published here on elitefts.com.

Cam Davidson is a friend, mentor, and an outstanding strength and conditioning coach.  It was a pleasure to do this interview.

Topics Covered in this Podcast

1. Cam’s Career Path

2. Transitioning from Small School Head Coach to Big School Assistant

3. Max Effort Training for Females

4. Being New to an Already Successful Program

5. Olympic Lifting Progressions for First-year Players

6. Four-Stage Squat Progression for Throwers

7. Training Athletes at the Highest Levels of Competition

8. Cam’s Biggest Challenges in the Profession

9. Athletes’ Impressions of the Coach’s Training

Cam Davidson enters his first year as the Penn State men’s hockey team’s strength and conditioning coach in 2013-14.

As an assistant strength and conditioning coach for the University, Davidson also works with Penn State’s women’s volleyball and track & field programs. During his time in State College, he also assisted in the design and application for the strength programs for the three-time NCAA defending national champion Penn State wrestling squad. In addition to his work with the school’s teams, Davidson serves as the strength coach for Penn State volunteer throws coach and 2012 Olympian Ryan Whiting.

Prior to working at Penn State, Davidson was the director of strength and conditioning at the College of Charleston from 2007-09. At Charleston, he designed and implemented strength and conditioning programs for all 19 intercollegiate teams.

Davidson began his coaching career at his alma mater, the University of Wyoming, where he wrestled from 2001-02. Davidson went on to earn his master’s degree from Marshall University in 2006, while working with many of its athletic teams. In 2006-07, he served as an assistant basketball strength coach at Clemson.

A senior-level Olympic weightlifter, Davison has competed at the national level for the past three years. He is SCCC certified through the Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association, CSCS certified through the National Strength and Conditioning Association, has his Level 1 weightlifting certification through USA weightlifting, and has taken advanced certifications through Columbus Weightlifting and Totten Training Systems.

- Courtesy of Penn State Sports Information