Inform Performance

Episode 70: Andy McDonald & Ben Ashworth chat to Clive Brewer for a part-2 conversation following the part-1 we recorded for episode 65. Clive is a Performance Specialist in Applied sports science, strength and conditioning and integrated sports medicine. Clive has a wealth of experience delivering high performance programs over a 20+ year career applying evidence-informed practise in elite sports. Clive has enjoyed multiple roles in the UK and more recently stateside at the Toronto Blue Jays and Columbus Crew. This episode with Clive focusses on evidence based practice, technology and more using practical case studies for context. In this episode Andy, Ben and Clive discuss: Evidence based practise applied in sport Matching the level of evidence to the level of performance Implementing change Early adoption verses sunken cost fallacy Force diagnostics for performance Absence of longitudinal data Using typical asymmetry to benchmark RTP / KPI’s Where you can find Clive: Twitter LinkedIn Sponsor Inform Performance is sponsored by VALD Performance, makers of the Nordbord, Forceframe, ForeDecks and HumanTrak. VALD Performance systems are built with the high-performance practitioner in mind, translating traditionally lab-based technologies into engaging, quick, easy-to-use tools for daily testing, monitoring and training Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following Inform Performance on: Instagram Twitter Our Website Our Team Andy McDonald Ben Ashworth

Episode 69: Following the Inform Performance X Elite Baseball Development Podcast Swapcast last week, this week Eric Cressey is the guest on the Inform Performances podcast. In this episode both Andy McDonald and Ben Ashworth ask Eric the questions as the second edition of a two part series. Eric is one of the best know S&C coaches globally, he’s the president and co-founder of Cressey Sports Performance and the current Director of Player Health & Performance at the New York Yankees. In this episode Andy, Ben and Eric discuss: Lowerbody & Upperbody standards in thowing athletes Scaling Programs Strategies to protect players from Injury Rotation strength in perspective Cervicothoracic relationship with the throwing shoulder VBT & RFD in throwers Workload management in throwing athletes Where you can find Eric: Instagram Twitter LinkedIn Website Sponsor Inform Performance is sponsored by VALD Performance, makers of the Nordbord, Forceframe, ForeDecks and HumanTrak. VALD Performance systems are built with the high-performance practitioner in mind, translating traditionally lab-based technologies into engaging, quick, easy-to-use tools for daily testing, monitoring and training Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following Inform Performance on: Instagram Twitter Our Website Our Team Andy McDonald Ben Ashworth

Episode 68: Inform Performance X Elite Baseball Development Podcast Swapcast. In this episode Eric Cressey chats to Inform Performances own Ben Ashworth the Director of Performance for AC Sparta Prague and Director of the Athletic Shoulder. Eric is one of the best know S&C coaches globally, he’s the president and co-founder of Cressey Sports Performance and the current Director of Player Health & Performance at the New York Yankees. Eric chats to Ben about the lessons he has learned through his experience in European football and rugby and highlights how coaches can more effectively monitor the workload of their athletes. We will be following this episode up with a second part where Inform Performance will be hosting Eric Cressey. Where you can find Eric: Instagram Twitter LinkedIn Website Sponsor Inform Performance is sponsored by VALD Performance, makers of the Nordbord, Forceframe, ForeDecks and HumanTrak. VALD Performance systems are built with the high-performance practitioner in mind, translating traditionally lab-based technologies into engaging, quick, easy-to-use tools for daily testing, monitoring and training Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following Inform Performance on: Instagram Twitter Our Website Our Team Andy McDonald Ben Ashworth

Episode 67: Andy McDonald chats to Jesse Green the Sacramento Kings Head of Sport Science. Jesse is an experienced practitioner who before taking on the head role at the Kings was a Performance Analyst for the team. Prior to working in the NBA Jesse worked at both University of Louisville Athletics and also the Brisbane Lions AFL team back home in Australia. In this episode Andy & Jesse discuss: Role at the Kings Identifying the most impactful data Ecological Validly between training & competitive data sets Load management Distribution of load relative to peak intensities Comparing data sets - apples and oranges Implementing change Blending technical and tactical data Periodisation & adaptation in the NBA Where you can find Jesse: Twitter LinkedIn Sponsor Inform Performance is sponsored by VALD Performance, makers of the Nordbord, Forceframe, ForeDecks and HumanTrak. VALD Performance systems are built with the high-performance practitioner in mind, translating traditionally lab-based technologies into engaging, quick, easy-to-use tools for daily testing, monitoring and training Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following Inform Performance on: Instagram Twitter Our Website Our Team Andy McDonald Ben Ashworth

Episode 66: Andy McDonald hosts Ben Ashworth, Stig Andersson, Martin Asker & Fredrik Johansson to close the Inform Performance European Shoulder Series. All of the panelists for this discussion all recently recorded episodes with Ben leading into this group conversation. In this episode Andy & the panel discuss: Biggest challenges working with shoulders Objective tests depending on sport Velocity based training assessment of the shoulder Tests for assessing the scapula Assessing the transfer of force from the lower-body to the upper-body Assessing trunk contribution to the shoulder in the kinetic chain Testing considerations for ACJ injuries Where you can find the panel: Stig Andersson Martin Asker Fredrik Johansson Sponsor Inform Performance is sponsored by VALD Performance, makers of the Nordbord, Forceframe, ForeDecks and HumanTrak. VALD Performance systems are built with the high-performance practitioner in mind, translating traditionally lab-based technologies into engaging, quick, easy-to-use tools for daily testing, monitoring and training Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following Inform Performance on: Instagram Twitter Our Website Our Team Andy McDonald Ben Ashworth

Episode 65: Andy McDonald chats to Clive Brewer a Performance Specialist in Applied sports science, strength and conditioning and integrated sports medicine. Clive has a wealth of experience delivering high performance programs over a 20+ year career applying evidence-informed practise in elite sports. Clive has enjoyed multiple roles in the UK and more recently stateside at the Toronto Blue Jays and Columbus Crew. This episode with Clive focusses on problem solving and departmental design. In this episode Andy & Clive discuss: Clive's background Current trends in problem solving Defining sport science Aligning MDT collaboration Structuring a dept during Covid Lessons from Covid Where you can find Clive: Twitter LinkedIn Sponsor Inform Performance is sponsored by VALD Performance, makers of the Nordbord, Forceframe, ForeDecks and HumanTrak. VALD Performance systems are built with the high-performance practitioner in mind, translating traditionally lab-based technologies into engaging, quick, easy-to-use tools for daily testing, monitoring and training Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following Inform Performance on: Instagram Twitter Our Website Our Team Andy McDonald Ben Ashworth

Episode 64: Ben Ashworth chats to Dr Martin Asker the Director of Handball Research Group at Sophiahemmet University. Martin is a Clinician, lecturer and PhD in sports medicine epidemiology who is specialized in shoulder injury rehab & prevention. This episode is a part of the Inform Performance European shoulder series. In this episode Ben & Martin discuss: Martins background Common throwing shoulder diagnoses Causes of shoulder overload Clinical diagnostics Testing athletes shoulder Scap dyskinesia thoughts AC-Joint rehabilitation Where you can find Martin: Twitter Sponsor Inform Performance is sponsored by VALD Performance, makers of the Nordbord, Forceframe, ForeDecks and HumanTrak. VALD Performance systems are built with the high-performance practitioner in mind, translating traditionally lab-based technologies into engaging, quick, easy-to-use tools for daily testing, monitoring and training Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following Inform Performance on: Instagram Twitter Our Website Our Team Andy McDonald Ben Ashworth

Episode 63: Andy McDonald chats to Daniel Greenwood a skill acquisition specialist from the University of Memphis. Daniel is currently Director of the Human Performance Center at the University of Memphis, but was previously a Senior Scientist at the Australian Institute of Sport, Singapore Sports Council and Queensland Academy of Sport. Daniel has over a decade of international applied sport science experience with a variety of team and individual sports. His career highlight was being embedded with, and contributing to, multiple Australian Medalists at the London 2012 and Rio de Janeiro 2016 Olympic Games. In this episode Andy and Daniel discuss: Daniels background Skill acquisition - how do people learn Does perfect technique exist? Balancing test sterility and transferability Force profiling for skill acquisition Where you can find Daniel: Twitter Sponsor Inform Performance is sponsored by VALD Performance, makers of the Nordbord, Forceframe, ForeDecks and HumanTrak. VALD Performance systems are built with the high-performance practitioner in mind, translating traditionally lab-based technologies into engaging, quick, easy-to-use tools for daily testing, monitoring and training Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following Inform Performance on: Instagram Twitter Our Website Our Team Andy McDonald Ben Ashworth

Episode 62: Ben Ashworth chats to Stig Andersson a Physiotherapist, PhD. Clinician, lecturer and researcher. Stig works at the Norwegian Institute of Sports medicine in Oslo with an interest in the prevention and rehabilitation of shoulder injuries in overhead athletes. This episode is a part of the Inform Performance European shoulder series. In this episode Ben and Stig discuss: Stig’s background Handball demands Preparing the shoulder for handball Determining readiness after injury Benchmarking late stage rehab force profiles Early stage rehab Offloading the shoulder via the kinetic chain Where you can find Stig: Twitter Sponsor Inform Performance is sponsored by VALD Performance, makers of the Nordbord, Forceframe, ForeDecks and HumanTrak. VALD Performance systems are built with the high-performance practitioner in mind, translating traditionally lab-based technologies into engaging, quick, easy-to-use tools for daily testing, monitoring and training Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following Inform Performance on: Instagram Twitter Our Website Our Team Andy McDonald Ben Ashworth

Episode 61: Ben Ashworth chats to Dr Fredrik Johansson from Soffiahemmet University Musculoskeletal & Sports Injury Epidemiology Center & the Tennis Research and Performance Group. Freddy as you’ll hear has a background and special interest on the shoulder so who better to interview or chat to him than inform Performances own Mr Ben Ashworth. In this episode Ben and Fredrik Johansson discuss: Fredrik’s background Balancing performance and risk mitigation Preparing high velocity movements Efficiency of movement Specificity v general preparation Strength training for tennis Monitoring in tennis Resilience The melting candle analogy Where you can find Fredrik: Twitter Sponsor Inform Performance is sponsored by VALD Performance, makers of the Nordbord, Forceframe, ForeDecks and HumanTrak. VALD Performance systems are built with the high-performance practitioner in mind, translating traditionally lab-based technologies into engaging, quick, easy-to-use tools for daily testing, monitoring and training Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following Inform Performance on: Instagram Twitter Our Website Our Team Andy McDonald Ben Ashworth

Episode 60: Ben Ashworth chats to Paudie Roche the lead S&C for the under 23's and under 18's at Arsenal. Paudi has a wealth of experience and before moving to Arsenal in 2013, Paudie worked with the Irish National rugby union team, Munster Rugby and also with University College Cork. He was also crowned Coach of the Year (Youth Sport) by the UKSCA in 2015. In this episode Paudie and Ben discuss LTAD for academy players with Paudie providing very transparent examples and stories from his experience at Arsenal. In this episode Ben Ashworth and Paudie Roche discuss: Paudie’s background How S&C has changed over Paudie’s career Bench marking player development Academy gym based markers Transitioning players from academy to senior team Training alongside fixture congestion Where you can find Paudie: Twitter LinkedIn Sponsor Inform Performance is sponsored by VALD Performance, makers of the Nordbord, Forceframe, ForeDecks and HumanTrak. VALD Performance systems are built with the high-performance practitioner in mind, translating traditionally lab-based technologies into engaging, quick, easy-to-use tools for daily testing, monitoring and training Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following Inform Performance on: Instagram Twitter Our Website Our Team Andy McDonald Ben Ashworth

Episode 59: Andy McDonald chats to Strength & Conditioning Coach and educator Chris Tombs. Chris's expertise lies in both rugby and cricket where he has worked in Elite sport for the last 16 years. He is best known for the physical development of some of Welsh rugby’s highest profile current players. Since we last spoke Chris has been the performance lead for Seattle Seawolves rugby in the MLR and has found Pegasus 85 an in-person coach education provider. We had Chris on the show in December 2019 for episode 9 to discuss VBT and this episode will progress that conversation. In this episode Andy McDonald and Chris Tombs discuss: Chris’s background Pegasus85 Education & face-to-face education 25 years in 250 words Camera based VBT systems Continuous athlete monitoring VBT verses percentage based training VBT and managing fatigue When to monitor velocity in a session Where you can find Chris: Twitter LinkedIn Instagram Website Pegasus85 Sponsor Inform Performance is sponsored by VALD Performance, makers of the Nordbord, Forceframe, ForeDecks and HumanTrak. VALD Performance systems are built with the high-performance practitioner in mind, translating traditionally lab-based technologies into engaging, quick, easy-to-use tools for daily testing, monitoring and training Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following Inform Performance on: Instagram Twitter Our Website Our Team Andy McDonald Ben Ashworth

Episode 58: Ben Ashworth hosts his first episode of Inform Performance. On this episode Ben chats to Dr David Opar the Director of the Sports Performance, Recovery, Injury and New Technologies (SPRINT) Research Centre at Australian Catholic University. David completed his undergraduate degree in Human Movement at RMIT University in 2008. He commenced his doctoral thesis (PhD) in the area of hamstring strain injuries at the Queensland University of Technology in 2010. He also heads up the ACU Hamstring Injury Group and is leading the way in hamstring injury research. Dr Opar and his team are in close consultation with professional sporting codes both nationally and internationally to deliver evidence-based prevention and treatment strategies for their athlete group. In this episode Ben Ashworth and Dr David Opar discuss: David’s background Hamstring Injury risk mitigation Minimal dose for hamstrings Optimal sprint dosage Timing training stimuli within competitive schedules When & how to use nordics Load tolerance RTP Criteria’s Where you can find David: Twitter LinkedIn Sponsor Inform Performance is sponsored by VALD Performance, makers of the Nordbord, Forceframe, ForeDecks and HumanTrak. VALD Performance systems are built with the high-performance practitioner in mind, translating traditionally lab-based technologies into engaging, quick, easy-to-use tools for daily testing, monitoring and training Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following Inform Performance on: Instagram Twitter Our Website Our Team Andy McDonald Ben Ashworth

Episode 57: Andy McDonald chats to Tom Farrow a Physical Performance Specialist who is the Founder & Co-Director of Areté Performance. Until August, when the programme was unfortunately cut due to losing funding, he was the Head of Physical Performance for England & Team GB 7s Men’s teams. Tom was also a Contact Skills Specialist with the Men’s 7s programme and has worked in this capacity with the 2016 Team GB Women’s 7s team, Tokyo Toshiba Brave, Fulham FC Academy and Richmond Rugby Club. He has previously worked as a strength and conditioning coach with the English Institute of Sport, GB Canoe, & Speedworks. Until Sept 2014, Tom was a Senior Strength & Conditioning Coach with Wasps Rugby and co-led their First XV programme. After starting his own business Tom also spent time working with the Wasps Academy programme as both a Strength & Conditioning Coach and Contact Skills Specialist. In this episode Andy and Tom discuss speed and agility training and program management. In this episode Andy and Tom discuss: Tom’s background Starting his own business Tom’s interest in speed training Tom’s approach to training: Acceleration Max speed Change of direction Implementing technical standards in open skill environments Program management Where you can find Tom: Instagram Twitter LinkedIn Areté Performance Sponsor Inform Performance is sponsored by VALD Performance, makers of the Nordbord, Forceframe, ForeDecks and HumanTrak. VALD Performance systems are built with the high-performance practitioner in mind, translating traditionally lab-based technologies into engaging, quick, easy-to-use tools for daily testing, monitoring and training Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following Inform Performance on: Instagram Twitter Our Website Our Team Andy McDonald Ben Ashworth

Episode 56: Andy McDonald chats Jesse Elis the Director of Health and Performance at the Portland Trail Blazers NBA team. Jesse is a PT with a background in professional tennis in the WTA and was formerly the Director of Physical Therapy at EXOS. In addition to this he is also the co-owner of Phoenix Manual Therapy. This conversation with Jesse is focused around communication, collaboration and biomechanics through Jesse's broad knowledge and appreciation for performance, leadership and sports medicine. In this episode Andy and Jesse discuss: Jesse’s background Current role at the Trail Blazers Communicating with players as a PT Communicating with management Risk management PT S&C’ collaboration Communicating diagnosis with S&C’s Biomechanics Where you can find Jesse: Phoenix Manual Therapy Instagram LinkedIn Sponsor Inform Performance is sponsored by VALD Performance, makers of the Nordbord, Forceframe, ForeDecks and HumanTrak. VALD Performance systems are built with the high-performance practitioner in mind, translating traditionally lab-based technologies into engaging, quick, easy-to-use tools for daily testing, monitoring and training Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following Inform Performance on: Instagram Twitter Our Website Our Team Andy McDonald Ben Ashworth

Episode 55: Andy McDonald chats to Sérgio T Fonseca. Sérgio is from a clinical background originally and currently works at the Department of Physical Therapy of the University Federal de Minas Gerais, Brazil. Sérgio teaches and advises in the areas of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Sciences. His main research focus is on human movement, applying concepts of ecological approach and dynamical systems to human perception and action. This episode will focus on the philosophy of patient or athlete management as it relates to his work on systems. In this episode Andy and Sérgio discuss: Sérgio's background Reductionism, complicated and complex systems Equifinality Evidence based practise Synergetic’s Evaluating your own systems Where you can find Sérgio: Research Gate UFMG Sponsor Inform Performance is sponsored by VALD Performance, makers of the Nordbord, Forceframe, ForeDecks and HumanTrak. VALD Performance systems are built with the high-performance practitioner in mind, translating traditionally lab-based technologies into engaging, quick, easy-to-use tools for daily testing, monitoring and training Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following Inform Performance on: Instagram Twitter Our Website Our Team Andy McDonald Ben Ashworth

Episode 54: Andy McDonald chats to Mike Friday USA Rugby Mens 7's Head Coach. Mike began his sporting career as a player transitioning from the amateur rugby years into the professional era, before becoming renowned as a coach. He has enjoyed multiple coaching roles across the UK, Kenya and more recently USA. In this episode with Mike we will discuss his journey from player to coach and pick out some of the key lessons he has learnt along the way. In this episode Andy and Mike discuss: Mike’s playing career Athlete retirement transitions Effects of Covid on Rugby Current state of World Rugby 7’s Mike’s coaching background Role at USA Rugby Sevens Working for Kenyan 7’s Lessons learnt coaching in different cultures Sharing medical information with coaches Where you can find Mike: Twitter Instagram LinkedIn Tendon Research Survey The aim of this survey of physiotherapists is to identify criteria for diagnosis of tendinopathy. This study aims to establish the key clinical questions and tests physiotherapists use during clinical examination of Achilles tendinopathy. Establishing a set of clinical questions and objective measures for Achilles tendinopathy will allow the validity of these criteria to be investigated in future projects. Sponsor Inform Performance is sponsored by VALD Performance, makers of the Nordbord, Forceframe, ForeDecks and HumanTrak. VALD Performance systems are built with the high-performance practitioner in mind, translating traditionally lab-based technologies into engaging, quick, easy-to-use tools for daily testing, monitoring and training Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following Inform Performance on: Instagram Twitter Our Website Our Team Andy McDonald Ben Ashworth

Episode 53: Andy McDonald chats to Jarrod Antflick a Consultant Sports Physiotherapist in elite sport. Jarrod is the founder of Total Performance and has been working in elite sport for over 15 years as a consultant Sports Physiotherapist. His work resides in the UK consulting to teams in the English Premiere League and Premiership Rugby, and to NBA teams in the USA. Jarrrod also works as consultant physiotherapist at The Fortius Clinic London, as a specialist in tendinopathy undertaking research in the management and diagnosis of tendinopathy. In addition to this his expertise expands to profiling and motion analysis through biomechanical screening utilising IMU data and triaxial force platforms to provides context into how human force is produced. This conversation with Jarrod focusses on his approach to managing tendons in both a clinical and high performance context. In this episode Andy and Jarrod discuss: His background or interest in tendons Optimal tendon function Assessing tendons Risk factors Ultrasound Tissue Characterisation (UTC) Using kinematics and kinetics to solve problems RTP criteria for tendons Where you can find Jarrod: Twitter LinkedIn Total Performance Fortius Clinic Complete Physio Tendon Research Survey The aim of this survey of physiotherapists is to identify criteria for diagnosis of tendinopathy. This study aims to establish the key clinical questions and tests physiotherapists use during clinical examination of Achilles tendinopathy. Establishing a set of clinical questions and objective measures for Achilles tendinopathy will allow the validity of these criteria to be investigated in future projects. Sponsor Inform Performance is sponsored by VALD Performance, makers of the Nordbord, Forceframe, ForeDecks and HumanTrak. VALD Performance systems are built with the high-performance practitioner in mind, translating traditionally lab-based technologies into engaging, quick, easy-to-use tools for daily testing, monitoring and training Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following Inform Performance on: Instagram Twitter Our Website Our Team Andy McDonald Ben Ashworth

Episode 52: Andy McDonald chats to James Moore the Co-Founder of the Health Development & Performance Network (HDPN). James also currently holds the position of Clinical Director of Sports & Exercise Medicine at the Centre for Health & Human Performance (CHHP). One of the highlights of James’ career, to date, was to be awarded the Deputy Chef de Mission Performance Service for Team GB at the Rio2016 Olympic Games. He has previously held titles such as Head for Performance for TeamGB, Manager for the Intensive Rehabilitation Unit for the British Olympic Association (BOA), Head of Medical at Saracens RFC, Consultant Clinical Lead Physiotherapist for UK Athletics for two Olympic cycles(Beijing & London), Consultant Physiotherapist for the RFU to the England Men’s Senior team in preparation for RWC2011 and Medical team leader for Gloucester County Cricket Club. James has worked with multiple sports throughout the UK, USA and Australia at the highest level and has expertise on hip & groin as well as hamstring injuries. In this episode Andy and James discuss: James’s background Muscle Injury classifications Communicating classifications & diagnosis Communicating with radiology Neuromuscular loading strategies for short & long head of Biceps Femoris Adductor Magnus as a functional hamstring Putting nordics in perspective Torque ratios at the hip Where you can find James: Twitter LinkedIn CHHP HDPN - Website HDPN - Instagram HDPN - Twitter Sponsor Inform Performance is sponsored by VALD Performance, makers of the Nordbord, Forceframe, ForeDecks and HumanTrak. VALD Performance systems are built with the high-performance practitioner in mind, translating traditionally lab-based technologies into engaging, quick, easy-to-use tools for daily testing, monitoring and training Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following Inform Performance on: Instagram Twitter Our Website Our Team Andy McDonald Ben Ashworth

Episode 51: Andy McDonald chats to Mick Hughes a Physiotherapist and Exercise Physiologist who consults at The Melbourne Sports Medicine Centre, Collins St Melbourne. During his Physio career Mick has worked with elite junior sporting teams such as the NQ Cowboys U20s rugby league team and the Newcastle Jets National Youth League and Emerging Jets Academy soccer teams. In this episode Andy and Mick discuss ACL rehab following Mick recently presenting to England Rugby on the topic. Mick has a large following online and is a reputable educator in this space. In this episode Andy and Mick discuss: Updates in ACL rehab Strength & Conditioning for ACL’s Re-considering the term “Conservative Management” Implementing OKC earlier Moon registry of ACL’s Baseline performance Data Where you can find Nick: Twitter Instagram LinkedIn Website Youtube Sponsor Inform Performance is sponsored by VALD Performance, makers of the Nordbord, Forceframe, ForeDecks and HumanTrak. VALD Performance systems are built with the high-performance practitioner in mind, translating traditionally lab-based technologies into engaging, quick, easy-to-use tools for daily testing, monitoring and training Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following Inform Performance on: Instagram Twitter Our Website Our Team Andy McDonald Ben Ashworth

Episode 50: Andy McDonald chats to Nick Winkelman the head of athletic performance & science for the Irish Rugby Football Union. His primary role is to oversee the delivery and development of strength & conditioning and sports science across all national (Men's and Women's XV’s and 7’s) and provincial teams (Leinster, Munster, Connacht, and Ulster). Nick was previously the director of education and training systems for EXOS (formerly Athletes' Performance), located in Phoenix, AZ. At EXOS Nick oversaw the speed and assessment component of the EXOS NFL Combine Development Program and supported many athletes across the NFL, MLB, NBA, National Sports Organizations, and Military. Nick has also completed his Ph.D. through Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions with a dissertation focus on motor skill learning and sprinting. In this episode Andy and Nick will be primarily discussing topics from his recent book - The Language of Coaching. In this episode Andy and Nick discuss: Nicks background The language of coaching Discussing how rather than what The coach & athlete relationship Cueing Understanding athletes information needs Monitoring language Moving to Ireland Where you can find Nick: LinkedIn Twitter Instagram Language Of Coaching Book Sponsor Inform Performance is sponsored by VALD Performance, makers of the Nordbord, Forceframe, ForeDecks and HumanTrak. VALD Performance systems are built with the high-performance practitioner in mind, translating traditionally lab-based technologies into engaging, quick, easy-to-use tools for daily testing, monitoring and training Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following Inform Performance on: Instagram Twitter Our Website Our Team Andy McDonald Ben Ashworth

Episode 49: Andy McDonald chats to Andrew Gray the High Performance Manager at Wests Tigers Rugby. Andrew's performance roots were in Physiotherapy and over his career he has worked extensively in the NRL. He has enjoyed previous roles at Cronulla Sharks and St.George Illawarra Dragons. Andrew is also a thought leader on GPS in sport as the creator of Athletic Data Innovations (ADI), a software product which processes tracking data to provide insight into sports performance to clubs and teams, to assist with coaching, scouting and player performance. This episode focuses on staff development, structure and pivots to the changing requirement of tech during Covid and finally Andrew's journey using GPS. In this episode Andy and Andrew discuss: Andrew's background and origins as a Physio Working in the NRL Carrying skills forward to management Developing your staff Multi-skilled staff Strategising broader development Potential Covid effects on staff structure Athletic Data Innovations GPS Where you can find Andrew: LinkedIn Twitter Sponsor Inform Performance is sponsored by VALD Performance, makers of the Nordbord, Forceframe, ForeDecks and HumanTrak. VALD Performance systems are built with the high-performance practitioner in mind, translating traditionally lab-based technologies into engaging, quick, easy-to-use tools for daily testing, monitoring and training Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following Inform Performance on: Instagram Twitter Our Website Our Team Andy McDonald Ben Ashworth

Episode 48: Andy McDonald chats to Adam Loiacono the Director of Rehabilitation at the Phoenix Suns NBA team. Adam has a wealth of experience and has enjoyed previous roles at Atlanta Hawks, Orlando Pride and New England Revolution. In this episode we will be discussing some of the principles behind a recent presentation that he delivered via the Altis platform. In this episode Andy and Adam discuss: Adam’s background in sport Approach to performance therapy Role at the Phoenix Suns organisation Developing return to sport principles Injury causation and analysis 'The bank' heuristic of MDT involvement Technical and tactical drills Where you can find Adam: LinkedIn Instagram Twitter Arizona Human Performance Collaborative Sponsor Inform Performance is sponsored by VALD Performance, makers of the Nordbord, Forceframe, ForeDecks and HumanTrak. VALD Performance systems are built with the high-performance practitioner in mind, translating traditionally lab-based technologies into engaging, quick, easy-to-use tools for daily testing, monitoring and training Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following Inform Performance on: Instagram Twitter Our Website Our Team Andy McDonald Ben Ashworth

Episode 47: Andy McDonald chats to Mike Tucker the Head Athletic Performance Coach at Villanova University Football. Mike has previously enjoyed S&C roles at San Jose State University, Clemson University, Kuztown University and North Dakota State University. This episode focusses on Mike's program and problem solving through Covid, Speed Development and 'Sprintember' a program both him and Ken Clarke have released to support coach development through September 2020. In this episode Andy and Mike discuss: Mikes background in collegiate sport College Football situation during Covid-19Being better generalists The physical preparation at Villanova Football Wishlist’s Coaching level entering collegiate sport Speed training kinogram Sprintember Where you can find Mike: LinkedIn Instagram Sprintember Sponsor Inform Performance is sponsored by VALD Performance, makers of the Nordbord, Forceframe, ForeDecks and HumanTrak. VALD Performance systems are built with the high-performance practitioner in mind, translating traditionally lab-based technologies into engaging, quick, easy-to-use tools for daily testing, monitoring and training Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following Inform Performance on: Instagram Twitter Our Website Our Team Andy McDonald Ben Ashworth

Episode 46: Andy McDonald chats to Navin Hettiarachchi the Director of Health, Wellness and Performance for the Washington Wizards at the time of recording. Navin began his career interning at the Washington Redskins NFL team, followed by spells at Sports Therapy and Rehabilitation INC and the Washington Mystics. This episode and the conversation is largely centred around Navin's holistic and broad consideration of care. In this episode Andy and Navin discuss: Navins background and role His holistic approach to athlete care Empathy and human factors PRI Where you can find Navin: LinkedIn Twitter Sponsor Inform Performance is sponsored by VALD Performance, makers of the Nordbord, Forceframe, ForeDecks and HumanTrak. VALD Performance systems are built with the high-performance practitioner in mind, translating traditionally lab-based technologies into engaging, quick, easy-to-use tools for daily testing, monitoring and training Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following Inform Performance on: Instagram Twitter Our Website Our Team Andy McDonald Ben Ashworth

Episode 45: Andy McDonald catches up with Elliott Clarke at Harlequins Rugby. Elliott is a Senior Rehabilitation Physiotherapist who has been with Harlequins rugby for over 5 years beginning as the Academy Physiotherapist. Prior to Quins Elliott worked within the NHS and also for Worthing RFC. In this episode Andy and Elliott discuss rehab frameworks and philosophies without shying away from technical details. In the past we've had Ed Lea (S&C) and Tom Batchelor (Sport Science) from the club and consistent with their episodes you can expect this conversation to be honest and transparent for both Elliott and Harlequins methodology. In this episode Andy and Elliott discuss: Elliotts background and role His Rehab Philosophy Setting prognostic expectations Selecting frameworks amongst complexity Reconditioning Return to running Soleus Hamstring Where you can find Elliott: LinkedIn Twitter Sponsor Inform Performance is sponsored by VALD Performance, makers of the Nordbord, Forceframe, ForeDecks and HumanTrak. VALD Performance systems are built with the high-performance practitioner in mind, translating traditionally lab-based technologies into engaging, quick, easy-to-use tools for daily testing, monitoring and training Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following Inform Performance on: Instagram Twitter Our Website Our Team Andy McDonald Ben Ashworth

Episode 44: Andy McDonald catches up with Inform Performance regular Dr Matt Tuttle the Denver Nuggets Lead Sport Scientist & Physical Therapist. Matt at the time of recording is currently based inside the NBA Bubble for the closing of the 2019/20 season. We caught up with Matt to discuss his journey from clinician to his current hybrid role as a PT and combined Sport Scientist. In this episode Andy & Matt discuss: The Bubble Early familiarisation with sport science New trends and questions in performance Buy-In to organisation or cultural change PT & sport science combined Cultural strategy Monitoring culture Vulnerability Where you can find Matt: LinkedIn Twitter Instagram Sponsor Inform Performance is sponsored by VALD Performance, makers of the Nordbord, Forceframe, ForeDecks and HumanTrak. VALD Performance systems are built with the high-performance practitioner in mind, translating traditionally lab-based technologies into engaging, quick, easy-to-use tools for daily testing, monitoring and training Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following Inform Performance on: Instagram Twitter Our Website Our Team Andy McDonald Ben Ashworth

Episode 43: Andy McDonald chats to Garrison Draper the Director of Performance at Philadelphia Union MLS Team. Garrison is a Sport Scientist and Strength & Conditioning Coach with a wealth of knowledge ad experience working within the MLS enjoying previous spells at Chicago Fire and Seattle Sounders. On todays show we’ll be discussing environmental stresses including altitude, weather, the effects of travel and player wellness. Alongside his role at Philadelphia Union Garrison is completing a PHD in Sports Science at Teeside University in the UK. In this episode Andy and Garrison discuss: Garrison’s background Staffing structure at the Union Points on the road in the MLS Game Difficulty Scale MLS blind spots data/ performance insights Garrisons PHD: Utilising different data types to guide training Environmental impacts on athletes Wellness Data Where you can find Garrison: LinkedIn Twitter Sponsor Inform Performance is sponsored by VALD Performance, makers of the Nordbord, Forceframe, ForeDecks and HumanTrak. VALD Performance systems are built with the high-performance practitioner in mind, translating traditionally lab-based technologies into engaging, quick, easy-to-use tools for daily testing, monitoring and training Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following Inform Performance on: Instagram Twitter Our Website Our Team Andy McDonald Ben Ashworth

Episode 42: Andy McDonald chats to Amy Arundale a Biomechanist and Physical Therapist for the Brooklyn Nets NBA team. Amy has enjoyed previous roles at Proaxis Therapy and was a post doc fellow at Linkoping University. In addition to this Amy has completed a Phd in Biomechanics at The University of Delaware and has coaching roots in soccer before becoming a Physical Therapist. In this episode Andy & Amy discuss: Amy’s background Benefits of a coaching background Current role at the Brooklyn Nets Return to play Creating drills Injury Prevention Programs Developmental considerations in rehab Where you can find Amy: Twitter Instagram Inform Performance is sponsored by VALD Performance, makers of the Nordbord, Forceframe, ForeDecks and HumanTrak. VALD Performance systems are built with the high-performance practitioner in mind, translating traditionally lab-based technologies into engaging, quick, easy-to-use tools for daily testing, monitoring and training Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following Inform Performance on: Instagram Twitter Our Website Our Team Andy McDonald Ben Ashworth

Episode 41: Andy McDonald chats to Performance Coach and Physiotherapist Bradley Scanes. Bradley is currently the Physio and Performance Coach for Max Verstappen at Redbull Racing through Hintsa Performance. Alongside F1 Brad is a consultant to British Gymnastics and works privately. He has enjoyed previous roles at British Basketball, Southend Football Club, the NHS and lectured at the University of Essex. In this episode with Brad he provides an interesting account of the Physio role in F1, the physical demands placed upon the neck and discusses the risk v reward of interventions before competiton. The end of episode educational content from Vald Performance this week focusses on the Eccentric Utilization Ratio. In this episode Andy & Brad discuss: Brad’s background Physical Demands of F1 Role of an F1 Physiotherapist Drivers Neck Risk v reward of treatment before performance Driver data and physiological understanding Vald Performance Education Feature: Eccentric Utilization Ratio Where you can find Brad: Twitter Instagram LinkedIn Inform Performance is sponsored by VALD Performance, makers of the Nordbord, Forceframe, ForeDecks and HumanTrak. VALD Performance systems are built with the high-performance practitioner in mind, translating traditionally lab-based technologies into engaging, quick, easy-to-use tools for daily testing, monitoring and training Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following Inform Performance on: Instagram Twitter Our Website Our Team Andy McDonald Ben Ashworth

Episode 40: Andy McDonald chats to Physiotherapist Alan Hazlett. Alan works at the British Olympic Intensive Rehabilitation Unit. Alan functions as a part of the English Institute of Sport , BOA and UK athletics. He has previously enjoyed roles at the English RFU, Reading Football Club and Sport Wales. This episode will focus primarily on how the Intensive Rehabilitation Unit functions to support elite athletes during injury followed by with some educational content from Vald Performance on Dynamic Strength Index. In this episode Andy & Alan discuss: Alan's background The British Intensive Rehabilitation Unit Communication Patient journey Evidence Based Practise Art v Science Vald Performance Education Feature: Dynamic Strength Index Where you can find Alan: Twitter LinkedIn Inform Performance is sponsored by VALD Performance, makers of the Nordbord, Forceframe, ForeDecks and HumanTrak. VALD Performance systems are built with the high-performance practitioner in mind, translating traditionally lab-based technologies into engaging, quick, easy-to-use tools for daily testing, monitoring and training Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following Inform Performance on: Instagram Twitter Our Website Our Team Andy McDonald Ben Ashworth

Episode 39: Andy McDonald chats to Dr Duncan French the Vice President of Performance at the UFC Performance Institute in Las Vegas. Duncan is globally recognized as a leading expert in high-performance sport with over 20 years of experience working with elite professional and Olympic athletes. Duncan has previously enjoyed been the Director of Performance Sciences for the University of Notre Dame Athletics Department, Technical Lead for Strength & Conditioning at the English Institute of Sport and has worked three full olympic cycles for GB Basketball and Taekwondo. He has also served as the Head of Strength & Conditioning at Newcastle United Football Club in the EPL and authored or co-authored 60 peer-reviewed scientific manuscripts and seven book chapters. In this episode Andy & Duncan discuss: Duncan’s background Setting up the UFCPI Understanding the fighter Training transfer Concurrent training The future of the UFCPI Where you can find Duncan: Twitter Instagram LinkedIn Inform Performance is sponsored by VALD Performance, makers of the Nordbord, Forceframe, ForeDecks and HumanTrak. VALD Performance systems are built with the high-performance practitioner in mind, translating traditionally lab-based technologies into engaging, quick, easy-to-use tools for daily testing, monitoring and training Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following Inform Performance on: Instagram Twitter Our Website Our Team Andy McDonald Ben Ashworth

Episode 38: Andy McDonald chats to Scott Epsley the Philadelphia 76ers Medical Director. Scott is an Australian Physiotherapist who has previously worked for Georgetown University, Medstar Sports Medicine and consulted to numerous sporting organisations including the Washington Wizards, Australian Womens Field Hockey and professional athletes across a wide range of sports including basketball, cycling, indy car, golf, and sprinting. Scott is also an RMSK Certified Musculoskeletal Sonographer with a passion for clinical diagnostics and bone stress injuries. In this episode Andy & Scott discuss: Scott’s background & role Ultrasonography in sports medicine Bone Injuries with Ultrasonography Bone Stress Injuries Understanding the bone tissue Symptoms Medical management Phases & remodelling Monitoring Loading & rehab Return-to-play Where you can find Scott: LinkedIn Twitter Smartletics Tempo App Apple App Store Google App Store Website Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following Inform Performance on: Instagram Twitter Our Website Our Team Andy McDonald Ben Ashworth

Episode 37: Andy McDonald chats to Pierre Barrieu a High Performance Expert at FIFA. As a performance practitioner Pierre has enjoyed spells at LA Galaxy, Swansea City, UAE Football Association and the USA National Team + plus more! Pierre has an extensive and varied background across multiple football leagues, national teams and environments and as a result provides the conversation with pragmatism and experiential insight. In this episode Andy & Pierre discuss: Pierres background Cultural differences between leagues and countries Trends of practice and methodology Player availability monitoring Coach development & education Where you can find Pierre: LinkedIn Twitter Smartletics Tempo App Apple App Store Google App Store Website Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following Inform Performance on: Instagram Twitter Our Website Our Team Andy McDonald Ben Ashworth

Episode 36: Andy McDonald chats to Physiotherapy Consultant Gordon Bosworth. Gordon is Founder and Clinical Director of The Bosworth Clinic and has been involved in elite sport for most of his life. Specialising in performance therapy, Gordon has supported elite athletes and teams across multiple sports and notably was Physiotherapist to the British Bobsleigh and Bob-Skeleton Team, a member of the Great Britain Teams at the Winter Olympic Games in Nagano, Sochi, Salt Lake City and Torino. He was also Medical Lead for the Canadian Speed Skating Team at Vancouver Games & Chief Physiotherapist to British Athletics at the London Games in 2012. More recently he worked with the Canadian #1 Women’s Bobsleigh and Cross-Country Teams at the PyeongChang Games. A clinician of great calibre and experience. In this episode Andy & Gordon discuss: Gordons background Effective Physiotherapy at Olympic Games Involvement with Altis Gordons Approach Understanding optimal function first Levelling the playing the field Structure governs function Approach to manual therapy Second opinion work & consultancy Where you can find Gordon: LinkedIn Twitter Website If you enjoyed this episode then check out Episode 35 with Dr Jas Randhawa Smartletics Tempo App Apple App Store Google App Store Website Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following Inform Performance on: Instagram Twitter Our Website Our Team Andy McDonald Ben Ashworth

Episode 35: Andy McDonald chats to Dr Jas Randhawa the Lead Performance Therapist at Altis. Jas is a Doctor of Chiropractic Medicine with a background in Strength & Conditioning who has previously worked at the Canadian Basketball team. In this episode Andy and Jas dig into what the Altis Performance Therapy philosophy and methodology is and discuss it in an injury context compared to the traditional model of care or performance. In this episode Andy and Jas discuss: Jas's background Clinician Education Altis Performance Therapy Philosophy & Methodology Performance Trinity Monitoring collaborative effectiveness Origins of Performance Therapy Systematic reduction of detail Making research practical Performance Therapy in comparison to ‘traditional’ models Where you can find Jas: Instagram Twitter Altis Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following Inform Performance on: Instagram Twitter Our Website Our team Andy McDonald Ben Ashworth

Episode 34: Andy McDonald chats to Tracy Axel the Director of high performance analytics at USA surfing and manager of sports performance research and analytics at Mamba sports academy. In this episode with Tracy we’ll be discussing her role at USA surfing and unpackaged what professional surfing looks like from a sport science and performance analytics standpoint. In this episode Andy and Tracy discuss: Surfing as an Olympic sport Training culture in surfing Performance markers in surfing Physiology and conditioning in surfing Return to play in surfing Future of research in surfing Tracys approach to high-performance Effective communication between a performance MDT Where you can find Tracy: LinkedIn Twitter Instagram Smartletics Tempo App Apple App Store Google App Store Website Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following Inform Performance on: Instagram Twitter Our Website Our team Andy McDonald Ben Ashworth

Episode 33: Andy McDonald chats to Strength & Conditioning Coach Alex Natera. Alex is based at GWS Giants Football Club in Sydney as Senior Athletic Performance Specialist. Alex has a wealth of experience and has enjoyed previous roles at Aspire Academy in Qatar, South Australian Sports Institute, English Institute of Sport, St Mary’s University, and Crystal Palace Football club to name a few. In this episode we have a discussion about something he is world renowned for in Isometrics and Eccentric training methods. In this episode Andy and Alex Natera discuss: Alex’s background Training during Covid. High-Neural output work Alex’s interest in Isometrics Reasoning & benefits isometrics When to implement isometrics Methods for implementing Isometrics Program transitioning in/out of isometrics Eccentric Training Isometrics in rehab Where you can find Alex: LinkedIn Instagram Twitter Smartletics Tempo App Apple App Store Google App Store Website Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following Inform Performance on: Instagram Twitter Our Website Our team Andy McDonald Ben Ashworth

Episode 32: Andy McDonald chats to Alex Wolf the co-founder of Wayfaring. Alex is a Performance Consultant, Strength & Conditioning Coach and also an experienced leader with a demonstrated history of working in the high performance. He has a wealth of experience of preparing athletes, staff and teams successfully for Olympic Games. He has previously been Head of Learning, head of strength of S&C and the technical lead at the English Institute of Sport, as well as lead S&C coach for GB rowing amongst other sporting roles. Alex in this episode shares wealth of technical knowledge and thinking on the topic of adaptation led programming. In this episode Andy and Alex Wolf discuss: Alex’s professional background Adaptation Led Programming Origin of work and questions Why do we strength train? Function as product of outcome not method Clarity and explicit objectives Simple solutions to clear objectives Structural, local & global coordination adaptation Periodisation & adaptation led programming Clarity in language and terminology Wayfaring - leading teams Where you can find Alex: Twitter LinkedIn Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following Inform Performance on: Instagram Twitter Our Website Our team Andy McDonald Ben Ashworth

Episode 31: Andy McDonald hosts a discussion on achilles tendinopathy between Karin Silbernagel, Mark Young and Matt Tuttle. Dr Dr Karin Grävare-Silbernagel is an Associate Professor at the Department of Physical Therapy, University of Delaware, Newark, USA. At University of Delaware she runs the tendon research lab together with her colleagues from mechanical and biomedical engineering. Mark Young is a Senior Physiotherapist at the Geelong Cats who has previously worked at the AIS, EIS, UK Athletics, Nike Athletics and the England & Wales Cricket Board. Dr Matt Tuttle has previously been on the podcast in episodes 11 and 24 and is the Lead Sport Scientist and Physical Therapist for NBA team the Denver Nuggets. In this episode the panel discuss: Their backgrounds & personal interests in tendons Achilles diagnostic considerations & processes Acute achilles tendinopathy management Management approach & philosophy Challenges in their individual athlete settings Tendon risk mitigation Elastography & UTC to monitor and Intervene with rehab Imaging Achilles tendon ruptures Tendon Resiliency Managing Tendons In-season Athlete cut points / can the athlete train or play? Managing warm-up and game timing Setting expectations What exercises to use to make a tendon feel better in-season. Thorough assessment and differentials Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following Inform Performance on: Instagram Twitter Our Website Our team Andy McDonald Ben Ashworth

Episode 30: Andy McDonald chats to Dr Meeta Singh. Dr Meeta Singh is a sleep doctor whose work and research focuses on “Coaching the sleep muscle” to help maximize performance in both individual athletes and sports teams. She is the Service chief of the sleep medicine, and section head and medical director at the Henry Fordsleep laboratory in Michigan. Dr Singh is board-certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology as a psychiatrist and sleep medicine sub-specialist. She has served as a consultant for multiple NFL, MLB, NHL and NBA teams. She has also worked with college sports teams. As part of this service, Dr. Singh performs athletic sleep assessments with personalized prescriptions for better sleep. She also helps sports teams and athletes with their travel management with a focus on addressing sleep deprivation and jet lag and maximizing athletic performance. Her passion is lecturing and educating teams and athletes about the benefits of sleep on performance. In this episode Andy and Dr Meeta Singh discuss: Her background Sleep requirement, deficit & dose response Sleep Diaries Wearable Technology Educating and implementing sleep strategies Orthosomnia Sleep Environment Jet lag Crossing time zones Relationship between sleep and Injury risk Sleep and Recovery from injury Can you get too much sleep? Napping Uncoupled sleep and circadian rhythm Backroom staff sleep considerations Where you can find Dr Meeta Singh: Twitter LinkedIn Instagram Website Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following Inform Performance on: Instagram Twitter Our Website Our team Andy McDonald Ben Ashworth

Episode 29: Andy McDonald chats to Dr Andy Barr a British Physiotherapist / Doctor of Physical Therapy. Andy is an established leader in the field of high performance and injury risk reduction with over 20 years of experience working in professional sports. He has held Director of Medicine and Performance roles with Bolton Wanderers F.C., Southampton F.C. and Manchester City F.C. in the EPL, New York Knicks in the NBA and New York City F.C. in the MLS. More recently Andy is the CEO & founder of Quantum Performance in Los Angeles providing rehab and performance solutions to elite athletes and teams. In this conversation with Dr Andy Barr we discuss: Andy’s background Transitioning from the UK to USA / EPL to the NBA Working freelance and as a consultant Andy’s 4 Pillars approach to rehabilitation Variety during rehab Pros and cons of working independently vs in a team Andy’s current and future projects Where you can find Dr Andy Barr: Twitter Linkedin Instagram Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following Inform Performance on: Instagram Twitter Our Website Our team Andy McDonald Ben Ashworth

Episode 28: Andy McDonald chats to Dr Matt Taberner, a Sport Scientist, S&C and Rehab Coach who has enjoyed career spells at Aston Villa and Everton Football Club previously. Matt recently finished his PHD constructing a framework for return to sport in elite football. In this episode we’ll hear Matt explain his work and dive into the control chaos continuum framework he’s produced. In this conversation Andy & Matt discuss: Origins of the Control Chaos Continuum Bridging the gap between traditional rehab and return to performance Applying the Control Chaos Continuum to specific injury cases Applying the principles of the CCC to different sports What Matt is looking to do next professionally Where you can find Matt: Twitter LinkedIn Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following Inform Performance on: Instagram Twitter Our Website Our team Andy McDonald Ben Ashworth

Episode 27: Andy McDonald chats with Dr Phil Wagner the Founder & CEO of Sparta Science. Phil is a a Physician and a Strength Coach who received his medical degree from USC focused on biomechanics. Phil’s passion for protecting athlete health and longevity through injury resilience coupled with his medically-oriented human performance mindset inspired him to found Sparta Science, a movement technology and data science company focused on improving musculoskeletal health. In this conversation Andy & Phil discuss: Phil’s from athlete to Strength & Conditioning Coach to medicine. Setting up Sparta Science Informed consumers Assessing methods & tools before Implementation Re-defining what “Injury prevention means” How Sparta Interacts with team systems AI & Machine learning in predictive injury models Blind spots in data models Injury risk identification verses occurrence The value of coaches & clinicians gaining foundation knowledge in data methods Where you can find Phil: Twitter LinkedIn Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following Inform Performance on: Instagram Twitter Our Website Our team Andy McDonald Ben Ashworth

Episode 26: Andy McDonald catches up with Pete McKnight the Hintsa Performance Director of Coaching & Sports Science. Pete has also been a Strength & Conditioning Coach in elite sport and human performance for almost two decades, working across multiple organisations including the French Ski Federation, Leicester CCC, England & Wales Cricket, UK Athletics, The English Institute of Sport and he was previously Chairman of the Board of Directors for the UK Strength & Conditioning Association (UKSCA). In this conversation Andy & Pete discuss: His current role at Hintsa The skills, qualities and lessons Pete carried forward in the journey director. Stability at home Goal setting Skills: leadership, communication, building a team, systems, program development What Pete learnt from being at the English Institute of Sport MDT environment Preparedness to lead a discipline / department Preparedness to progress to Director / Head of Dept Challenges he faces and strategies he deploys Advising yourself in hindsight People that have Inspired him Books and resources Changing jobs, accepting and turning down offers Were you can find Pete Twitter LinkedIn Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following Inform Performance on: Instagram Twitter Our Website Our team Andy McDonald Ben Ashworth

Episode 25: Andy McDonald speaks to Dan Howells the Houston Astros Head S&C Coordinator. Dan is a British S&C coach that has transitioned from the English Institute of sport, England Rugby Sevens to Major League Baseball. With these transitions in mind in this episode with Dan we discuss his move to baseball and how he structured the thought processes for developing and managing a strength & conditioning program and department. Andy and Dan discuss: Dans Role Dans transition from Rugby to Baseball How Dan developed through changing sports Muti-Sport Environments Relating principles of training to the athlete Individual load management - “Biological Periodisation” “Push Pull” Player load management Being perceived as a coach rather in the front office Difference of S&C provision between the UK / USA or rugby and baseball Approach to developing and managing a strength and conditioning program/dept Identifying what the team/organisation needs Effecting performance remotely as a coordinator Ashtest Were you can find Dan Twitter Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following Inform Performance on: Instagram Twitter Our Website Our team Andy McDonald Ben Ashworth

Episode 24: Andy McDonald chats to Dr Matt Tuttle a Physical Therapist working at NBA team the Denver Nuggets as Lead Sport Scientist / Physical Therapist. We spoke to Matt in episode 11 about pain science and the realities of managing pain within an elite athletic population. In this second episode with Matt we discuss The relationship between single vs multipart athletes in the NBA and 3 key injuries in professional basketball. Lateral ankle sprains Managing lateral ankle sprains What do they use / do at the Denver Nuggets Patella Region Injuries How much Matt considers n=1 biomechanics How do you understand the internal overloads from biomechanics Lumber Spine Injuries NSLBP Strength & Conditioning / Testing the lumber-spine Benchmarking lumber spine performance standards Were you can find Matt LinkedIn Twitter Instagram Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following Inform Performance on: Instagram Twitter Our Website Our team Andy McDonald Ben Ashworth

Episode 23: Andy McDonald speaks to Per Lundstam the Director Of Performance at Redbull. Per previously enjoyed roles at both the US Ski & Snowboard association and the Swedish Ski Federation perviously. In this episode Andy and Per discuss: Redbull High Performance Program Redbulls performance values and ‘pillars’ The process for Redbull athletes to access performance services Program development at Redbull Organisation objective & shared direction Cross pollinating athletes Testing athletes at Redbull Assessing and understanding athletes extreme environments Where Per turns to develop his knowledge and skill-set Were you can find Per LinkedIn Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following Inform Performance on: Instagram Twitter Our Website Our team Andy McDonald Ben Ashworth

Episode 22: Andy McDonald speaks to Tom Batchelor the Head of Sport Science at Harlequins Rugby. In this episode Andy and Tom discuss: Tom’s background Working within the City in Equity Derivatives Surrey Sports Park - Internship Harlequins GPS In Rugby: Benefits and weaknesses of GPS in Rugby Overlaying technical and tactical information on top of physical data How Harlequins define and communicate load Acute Chronic Workload Ratio Communicating systems to Inform change Loading Blindspots Conditioning the modern rugby player. Conditioning at Harlequins Where you can find Tom Twitter linkedIn Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following Inform Performance on: Instagram Twitter Our Website Our team Andy McDonald Ben Ashworth

Episode 21: Andy McDonald speaks to Matt Jordan PHD CSCS, Strength Coach & Director of Sports Science at the Canadian Sports Institute, Calgary. Over his career, Matt was the personal strength coach to 30 World and Olympic medalists, and has worked with elite athletes in many sports including speed skating, cross country skiing, alpine skiing, snowboarding, biathlon, hockey, football, volleyball and mixed martial arts. In this episode with Matt we discuss: His career beginnings with Charles Poliquin and getting into the Canadian Olympic Setup PHD in Medical Science - Developing better methods to rehabilitate and recondition athletes after injuries. Matts role at the Canadian Sport Institute Research Projects Matt is involved with currently Semitendinosus study - Association between structural deficits post ACL hamstring grafts and hamstring function. Single Leg and double leg landing abilities in freestyle skiers and snowboarders. Relationship, Comparing their strength lab data with ACL re-injury. Managing or accounting for the “blindspots” - the dangerous nature, load and unpredictability in winter sports. Wearable solutions - Plantiga How does Matt identify what matters or is important when deciding on performance testing / monitoring batteries. Navigating “useful” verses “ problematic” limb symmetry/asymmetry Intervening with asymmetry Interventions Interrupting the bodies ability to self-correct Forceplates as a tool to prompt further investigation Matts usage of dual forceplate systems Matt can be found on twitter @JordanStrength Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following Inform Performance on: Instagram Twitter Our team Andy McDonald Ben Ashworth