Pacey Performance Podcast

Matt Van Dyke joins Rob on this week’s Pacey Performance Podcast. As the Director of Sports Science for the Houston Texans, Matt is responsible for the management of training loads and other performance aspects implemented to each individual athlete in order to maximise performance and readiness. Prior to this, Matt has worked at the University of Texas and University of Denver, designing and implementing speed, strength, conditioning, and mobility training programs for men’s lacrosse, alpine ski, baseball, tennis, swimming and track and field. Matt talks to Rob about performance pillars, testing, and monitoring – subjects that he has recently written about in one of his many books, articles and blogs. This includes the metrics that sports scientists and coaches should be looking at in regards to GPS data, and the six physical performance qualities he looks for when measuring improvement. Matt further explains how to incorporate specialist training when faced with constraints, such as time. There’s also som

This week’s guest on the Pacey Performance Podcast is John Wagle, Director of Performance Science and Player Development at the Kansas City Royals in Major League Baseball. Previously, he earned his PhD at East Tennessee State University, worked at DePaul University as a strength and conditioning coach, and spent some time prior to that as a baseball coach. John is here to talk about eccentric training – a subject he covered extensively in the PhD.. Eccentric training exists on a continuum, encompassing a large variety of methods from tempo training, to flywheel inertial training, accenuated eccentric training (AEL) and playometric training. John's PhD focused on AEL so discusses why it is specifically beneficial. If you’d like to know the timings and potential exercise selection that can bring greater muscle strength and recovery even to ‘lower end’ athletes, then this week’s podcast is for you. Topics this week: The benefits of eccentric training Why eccentric training has been gaining in popularity Th

This week’s guest on the Pacey Performance Podcast is Director of Performance for the New Orleans Pelicans in the NBA, Daniel Bove. Daniel has previously worked for the Atlanta Hawks as their assistance strength coach, before moving on to the Phoenix Suns and then New Orleans in his current role. In line with his new book, Daniel talks about how to use the quadrant system as a visualisation tool in strength and conditioning training, including how it can be used effectively in regular, day-to-day coaching.   This includes the outputs that can be created, how to manage quadrants when games are close together, and also force plates and their use in the NBA - giving some insight into plyometrics in a sport where effective jumping is an absolute necessity. To learn all this and much more, hit the pay button now.   This week’s topics: The use of quadrants as a visualisation tool Daniel’s principles for periodisation and planning How to make the quadrant system fit into everyday coaching Creating an output

Damian Harper is our guest on this week’s Pacey Performance Podcast, bringing with him a wealth of wide-ranging experience in coaching and strength and conditioning. Damian is currently working in the Institute of Coaching and Performance at UCLAN, supervising students on professional masters and doctorates in elite performance. He’s also a member of UCLAN’s newly developed football performance hub, developing the human braking research group following his PhD. Prior to his time with UCLAN, Damian lectured in exercise physiology at York St John University, coached at the Bobby Charlton Soccer School, and earned his master’s degree while working with sports clubs in his local area. One of which was St. Albans Rugby Club, where he developed the 10/05 repeated jump test. This test, amongst other jump testing options, and deceleration testing and training, is what he discusses today. With a huge depth of academic and first-hand experience of strength and conditioning harking back to his days as a footba

Cory Schlesinger is this week’s guest on the Pacey Performance Podcast. He has over 20 years’ experience in basketball, including 4 years as a player and 15 as a coach at college level before moving on to his current role as Head of Strength and Conditioning with the Phoenix Suns in the NBA. With the experience of both playing and coaching at college level, Cory discusses what he’d do differently in terms of attitude if he had that opportunity again. Cory also discusses the techniques he tends to use, including his love of machines in strength and conditioning, and how sports science helps him get the best out of his players. This also includes some inside information about how the Phoenix Suns use force plates and aqua bags effectively. Finally, Cory talks about Instagram and how he started to build a personal brand online. For all this and much, much more, listen to the podcast to gain some insight into what it’s like to coach promising and top-level athletes for over two decades.   On this week’s podca

Luke Vella is Rob’s guest on this week’s Pacey Performance Podcast. Luke has recently returned to Australia following his time with Edinburgh Rugby, the University of Bath, and Olympic track cycling in Malaysia. While in Bath, he coached multiple sports, showing that in addition to his roles in Rugby and Aussie Rules, he certainly has several strings to his strength and conditioning bow. With a background in rehab, Luke lets us know how to manage tendon health by looking out for the tell-tale symptoms that lead to tendon injuries, and how blood flow restriction training can help relieve pain. For anyone looking for a deep-dive into rehab techniques involving blood flow restriction and improving muscle hypertrophy, speed and strength, then this week’s podcast is for you. He’ll also tell you how to plan your rehab programme. Hit play now to learn Luke’s rehab tips of the trade! On the podcast this week: Why switching between Australia and the UK was a good learning experience Whether to stick to one sport

On this week’s Pacey Performance Podcast, Rob speaks to James Hanisch of Hawkin Dynamics. James is the former Director of Performance Science at the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFL, and with a Super Bowl win as a coach to his name his wisdom and knowledge will be ideal for any sports scientist or aspiring trainer. James talks to us about what it was like making the transition between Australia and the United States, both professionally and culturally. American football fans will also be interested to know about his role in the 2018 Super Bowl win for the Eagles, and why togetherness and a long-term coaching staff can make all the difference in a successful team. James also gets in the technical side of coaching, with tips on how to maximise power output, stamina and analyse data on a much smaller budget than the large franchises can afford. He also goes into detail on the methods the Eagles used at that time, and how it led to success on one of the biggest stages in sport. To learn how, hit the play button n

This week’s Pacey Performance Podcast sees Rob speak to Leigh Egger, Head of Performance at Feyenoord Rotterdam in the Dutch Eredivisie. Leigh was formerly a semi-professional footballer in Australia, which has given him insight and empathy into both the emotional and physical side of playing. Leigh discusses his time at Feyenoord, including how he has been influenced by Frans Bosch, John Pryor and Stijn Vandenbroucke. He goes in depth into the effective rehab framework the club’s coaches have been working on, including how to improve agility, speed and strength in footballers. To learn some of Leigh’s excellent coaching practices for yourself, hit the play button now to learn what Feyenoord have been up to – and avoid some costly errors coaches often encounter. On this week’s podcast: Why playing experience can be invaluable to coaches How Leigh moved into coaching in the Dutch top division from his playing career The rehab framework Leigh has been working on with Feyenoord’s influential coaching team

This week’s Pacey Performance Podcast sees Rob joined by Matt Allen, the Head of Academy Physical Development at Tottenham Hotspur. After initially working his way up as a student intern, he shares how he managed to bridge the gap between student life and a professional sports environment. Matt shares some excellent knowledge about how to coach young athletes, including the techniques and drills that can turn a promising young footballer into a world beater, and the emotional intelligence to deal with both precocious young talent and demanding parents. To learn more about his experiences at the top of the football pyramid with Spurs, the training sessions that will push young athletes to excel, and advice for younger coaches wanting to get into football, hit the play button now. This week’s podcast topics: How Matt’s internship bridged the gap between student and professional life How training focus changes across the age groups How to coach a tall athlete who isn’t necessarily physical in playing style

On this week’s Pacey Performance Podcast, Rob speaks to Martin Buchheit and George Perry. Martin is well-known in sports science for his work as Head of Performance Intelligence Research at Kitman Labs and as ex Head of Performance at Paris Saint Germain. George is a sports performance specialist, businessman and writer from Tulsa, Oklahoma. Together, they have co-authored EGOals - a comprehensive guide to the impact and importance of the human ego in sport, including self-confidence and portraying a positive image as an influencer in an often-competitive industry. Martin and George share inside information into what they’ve found working with both coaches and athletes with a big ego. Of course, it is possible for this to tip into arrogance – a dangerous trait in the world of sport. Luckily Martin and George are on hand to advise on how to balance confidence and humility and remain grounded as a coach. Listen to this week’s podcast to learn all this and much more. This week’s topics: The book Martin and G

On this week’s Pacey Performance Podcast, Rob speaks to Joseph Coyne; a man with a huge CV and an even bigger bank of strength and conditioning knowledge to draw from. Joseph has been Performance Director with the UFC Performance Institute in Shanghai and was previously employed by the Chinese Olympic Committee as a Performance Manager. This is in addition to coaching with the Chinese Track and Field Association, Surfing Australia, and working at a school as director of athletics and athletic development. As you can imagine, Joseph has expertise to share – which is exactly what he does on this week’s podcast when it comes to plyometrics, jump training, and how to customise your training based on the build of your athletes and the sport they’re training for. This includes co-ordinating jumps to maintain that all-important intensity but avoid needless injury, including subjective load monitoring and RSI. Joseph also speaks about what it was like to coach with the UFC in China – a world away from his backgroun

There’s double the expertise on this week’s Pacey Performance Podcast as Rob is joined by Jonas Dodoo and Alan Murdoch. Jonas is Director of Speedworks Training and Head Coach at Loughborough University, whilst Alan is Head Coach at Speedworks and until recently was Strength and Conditioning Coach at Bath Rugby. On the podcast, they discuss what first led to them working together and the skills and techniques they’ve learned during the course of their professional partnership. This includes how they’ve pooled their collective knowledge by linking the often separate coaching worlds of rehabilitation and speed. There are also some excellent deep dives into exercise selection, shin roll, ACL rehab, and why they actively avoid bad psychology in any group of athletes they coach. This week’s podcast is the place to get up to speed with what Jonas and Alan are achieving - and how it could influence your own coaching regime in the near future. Topics discussed: How Jonas and Alan first started working together W

On this week’s Pacey Performance Podcast, we speak to Ed Gannon, Head of Strength and Conditioning at the Buffalo Sabres in the NHL. Despite having been at the Sabres for 6 years, Ed’s background is in Rugby Union in the UK. We discuss what led to him making that massive move, the challenges he faced, and the differences and similarities between the two very different worlds of coaching Rugby Union and ice hockey. Ed also describes the training protocol he undertakes to mitigate for the natural effects of fatigue despite players undergoing a busy playing calendar - including the ideal schedule, a whole host of isometric exercise options and the data to look out for. If you want to hear from an expert with the inside information to help you and your athletes increase their fitness, reduce injuries (especially to the hip and groin), analyse data to gain a practical solution and ultimately maximise performance, then this week’s talk with Ed Gannon is not to be missed. Topics discussed this week: What leads t

Dr. Keith Baar is the Head of the Functional Molecular Biology Laboratory (FMBLab) at the University of California Davis. On this week’s Pacey Performance Podcast, we discuss how the musculoskeletal system functions including how diet and physical activity affect muscle growth, and how tendons and ligaments respond to the stresses of exercise Dr. Keith’s teachings are absolutely invaluable for both coaches, sports scientists and athletes alike as he tells us why injury rates are still on the rise despite coaches knowing more about the human body than ever before, and how to specifically avoid injuring tendons and ligaments whilst still developing muscle growth. As a bonus, he also gives us some excellent nutritional tips. Don’t miss out on all this expert advice gained from a career dedicated to learning just what it is that gives the very best athletes that slight advantage over their rivals. Topics: What inspired him to get into sports science Why injury rates are still on the rise Why so many coaches

On this week’s Pacey Performance Podcast, Rob speaks to performance science consultant Jo Clubb about how she went from starting out in her dream job as an intern at Chelsea FC in the Premier League, to eventually working in the NHL with the Buffalo Bills and Buffalo Sabres. Jo also discusses what she calls her ‘sliding doors’ moment – when she got the opportunity to move to the US and work in ice hockey followed by American football. Through this, we talk about how opportunities can arise via the power of networking in a close-knit industry, and what younger people in the industry can do to grow their profile. A running theme throughout this episode is how training and sports science isn’t always about the techniques, drills and exercises a coach introduces to a new team, but how a cultural fit can make the difference through connecting with athletes on a personal level. Through her own website and as a contributor to Sports Discovery, a resource dedicated to knowledge sharing of sports professionals, there

This week’s Pacey Performance Podcast sees me speak to Rugby Australia’s Senior Strength & Conditioning Coach, John Pryor, who has worked with the Wallabies, the Japanese national Rugby Union team and holds a master’s degree in health science. With his background in track and field and combat sports, John has an incredibly wide-ranging knowledge about strength and conditioning, contextual strength and coordination training. John explains his background and his influences, which include Warren Young and Charles Poliquin, Vern Gambetta, Eddie Jones and Vern Gambetta. He also talks about his time working with Eddie Jones in Japan, and the point of difference for coaches who are taken seriously and seen as authentic by athletes and employers alike. This makes this week’s podcast a must-listen for any coach wanting to learn what catches people’s attention, the basics of Frans Bosch's methodologies, and how there’s no substitute for experience in strength and conditioning training.   Topics: The difference

In this episode of the Pacey Performance Podcast, I am speaking to Head of National Talent ID & Senior S&C Coach at Aspire Academy, James Baker. This is the second part to a two-part episode with James so if you haven't checked out part 1, make sure you do so. In this episode James gives us some incredible insight into two case studies. They highlight how essential the monitoring of growth and maturation is in young athletes. We also dive into moving athletes from a developmental programme into a performance programme where winning is the aim. In this episode, we discussed... Talent identification - finding the best athletes in Qatar Developing an LTAD framework Integrating a new athlete into an established pathway Assessing growth and maturation Testing and profiling with a limited budget Specific competition performance James can be found on Twitter @jamesbaker_8 Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following on Twitter @strengthofsci or visiting strength

In this episode of the Pacey Performance Podcast, I am speaking to Head of National Talent ID & Senior S&C Coach at Aspire Academy, James Baker. If you're working with youth athletes anywhere in the world, you should have heard or seen James' work. He has taken on a further role at Aspire, now looking after national talent ID which is a fascinating transition which is another examlpe of the wide skill set of the strength and conditioning coach. Whether you have a huge budget or a small budget, information in this podcast will give you a clearer idea of how to develop an LTAD framework. In this episode, we discussed... Talent identification - finding the best athletes in Qatar Developing an LTAD framework Integrating a new athlete into an established pathway Assessing growth and maturation Testing and profiling with a limited budget Specific competition performance James can be found on Twitter @jamesbaker_8 Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following on

In this episode of the Pacey Performance Podcast, I am speaking to 1st Team Fitness Coach at Leeds United Football Club, Benoit Delaval. Leeds United have taken the Premier League by storm this year. They are currently sat 9th in the league, are unbeaten at home against the top 6 and have overcome the accusation that they would start to slump towards the end of the season. Their intensity is unwavering. But how do they train to live up to such a demanding philosophy week after week? In this episode, we discussed... Who is Benoit Delaval (background, experience and current role)? The Leeds United philosophy Getting players fit Planning and periodisation Data guided training Use of small sided games Keeping players fit in-season Training to maintaining intensity 'Murderball' Recovery methods Strength and power work Benoit can be found on Twitter @bendelaval Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following on Twitter @strengthofsci or visiting strengthofscience.com

In this episode of the Pacey Performance Podcast, I am speaking to Senior Strength and Conditioning Specialist at High Performance Sport New Zealand, Angus Ross. Angus is one of the most humble guys in the industry but has an incredible brain. Angus sits in that really interesting place in strength and conditioning with one foot in academia and research, and one foot firmly in the applied world working with world class track and field athletes. And just to make me more jealous of Angus, it sounds like he was an incredible athlete too... In this episode, we discussed... Eccentric training Why use eccentric focused training Adaptations The various types of eccentric training Flywheel technology Their place in the wider programme Sprints and jumps Integration with isometric training Around competition and taper periods Acceleration Principles Profiling What team sport athletes can learn from sprinters (and what they shouldn't) Angus can be found on Twitter @AngusRossNZ   Keep up to