Even though our conversation was taking place in the weight room, Chris was adamant that all of their training, ultimately, must make the athlete better in their arena of competition. Big bench presses and fast 40’s, while impressive to the lay person, did not make an athlete a champion. Carlisle places a large emphasis on movement skills and speed. In all components of their training, USC athletes are developed with technique and skill being of utmost importance. Next in the priority scale is speed. Strength is third in the list of training priorities. The USC Strength and Conditioning room has a list of record lifts (clean, bench and squat) on the wall, but Coach Carlisle is quick to point out that the lifts are simply general indicators, and not an end in itself. Carlisle views the weight room as simply a means to an end. Although he would like to have his athletes as strong as possible in the weight room, he is more concerned about how they practice and compete in their chosen sport.