Allow Myself to Introduce Myself

Hey — thanks for being here.

Whether you joined this list last week or you’ve been around since the Conditioning Project days, there’s a decent chance you know my content better than you know me. So to kick off 2026, I wanted to properly re-introduce myself and reset the tone for what this newsletter is about.

I’m Tim Kettenring — and I build principle-based performance systems, not just programs.
I’ve spent the last 18 years in sport and human performance in team settings from high school to professional, the private sector, rehab settings, and coach education. I’ve seen what builds and what breaks athletes, as well as what builds and breaks coaches.

I learned all of this because my career didn’t follow a linear path. I started out doing what most of us do — writing short-sighted programs, chasing trends, layering qualities, assuming improvement equaled development.

Then I watched my athletes crumble. Burn out. Get injured. And I realized the problem wasn’t effort… it was the lack of a system.

That’s when I became obsessed with the overlooked nuances of physiology and how humans actually adapt.

Here’s the core of what I believe:

• Conditioning isn’t a phase — it’s the foundation
  Your aerobic system supports every other physical quality - whether you like it or not.

• Capacity comes before power
  Accumulate, accumulate, accumulate, intensify

• Training should be autoregulated, not ego-regulated
  Readiness matters. Context matters. The athlete in front of you today matters more than the program you wrote three weeks ago

That philosophy is what became Maverick Human Performance.

We don’t sell programs.
We teach principles.

We build data-informed, athlete-centered, practical performance systems:

• Conditioning that actually transfers

• Simple traffic-light readiness assessments

• Fluid conjugate programming

• Real-world load management

If you stick around, here’s the message you’ll keep hearing from me:

• Fewer hacks

• More principles

• Less “just do this,” and more why it works

This newsletter exists for one reason: to help you build durable athletes, resilient systems, and a career that doesn’t bury you alive.

No trends. No fluff. Just useful ideas you can apply Monday morning.

I’m glad you’re here — and I’m excited for what we’re building together in 2026.

— Tim Kettenring
Founder, Maverick Human Performance