Athlete Factors

In this episode, I talk with my new friend, Elia Oliviero Barbon. Elia is a young, but very hard working and ambitious professional in the Exercise Physiology and Sport Nutrition industry. He is an NSCA and Bayesian certified Personal Trainer, and content creator for Iraki Nutrition (irakinutrition.com), @stepunovenezia, and Body Comp Academy (https://bodycompacademy.it). We discuss his internship with Iraki Nutrition, going back to finish his university degree at Università di Ferrara, and how seeking out answers to questions and looking for opportunities with those who are blazing a trail in this industry is the best and most effective way to become more competent and deliver the most value to those you work with. The bottom line, Elia didn't wait for a good job or education to land in his lap. He sought these things out and is constantly looking to gain more knowledge and experience so he can give back to his clients, content consumers, and anyone looking to improve their physiology.

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In this episode, I talk with an old friend, Certified Athletic Trainer and Iron Man finisher, Olivia Zander, ATC, LAT. We discuss the responsibilities of the Athletic Trainer and where Athletic Training fits into the spectrum of sport performance. We also talk about how Coaches can, and should, utilize these professionals to get the most out of their athletes. In addition to all of this, we reminisce about traumatic head injuries that can happen at running camp and how important it is to being open to potential shifts and changes in your career. Olivia currently works for Athletico Physical Therapy in the Chicagoland area and is also a full-time nursing student at Loyola University Chicago in an Accelerated Bachelor of Nursing program.

In this episode, I talk with my former team-mate and training partner, Jud Brooker. Jud is a USATF Level 2 Jumps Coach and has an undergraduate degree in Physical Education and a Master's degree in Curriculum and Development. We discuss how much Jud hated academics and college classes but how much he loves the college lifestyle and being a collegiate coach. We also discuss the recruiting process, the high's and low's of collegiate coaching, and how important it is to know the tradition of sport while being open to innovation and progression.

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In this episode, I talk with an old friend, Ian Rheault PT, DPT. Ian is a full time staff Physical Therapist at the University of Miami. In this role, he provides patient care in a hospital-based comprehensive pain management outpatient orthopedic setting. He is also a University of Miami Orthopaedic Residency Faculty Instructor. In this capacity, he teaches current orthopaedic residents through lecture and lab-based learning modules and clinical mentoring.

In this episode, I talk with Dr. Ron Tribendis. Ron is a Chiropractor and Co-Founder of Performance Medicine and Sports Therapy, in Plano, Texas. We discuss some of the issues he sees in the general Chiropractic profession, how to build a strong team and referral network, and how using a true multidisciplinary approach allows his team to provide the best possible service to patients.

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In this episode, I talk with one of my grad school professors, Darryn Willoughby, PhD., FACSM, FISSN, FACN. In addition to being the best teacher I've ever had, Dr. Willoughby is the Director of the Exercise and Biochemical Nutrition Laboratory at Baylor University, and is a Fellow of the American College of Nutrition, Fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine, Fellow of the American Society of Exercise Physiologists, and a Fellow of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. We talk about the role of Calories and Hormones and how they are related, the importance of dietary protein and fat, and what science really has to say about the "dangers" of red meat.

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In this episode, I talk with an old friend from grad school, Garson Skelton, CSCS*D, RSCC, USAW1, CISSN. Garson is the Head Strength and Conditioning Coach at Harker Heights High School in Texas. We talk about the importance of the High School strength coach, how to keep things simple and focus on the main things, learning that there are often many ways of accomplishing a training/performance goal, training to lift the Scottish Stones of Strength, and the struggles of training for maximum strength while also trying to improve body composition.

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In this episode, I talk with a college classmate from back in the day, Stephen "Stork" Grist. LT Stephen Grist, MSC, USN, PT, DPT, CSCS, is a Board Certified Clinical Specialist in Sports Physical Therapy and the PT/OT Department Head of the Naval Hospital in Guam. We discuss the transition into military life, the rehab/training similarities and differences between general populations and military personnel, setting appropriate expectations for rehab and return to elite performance, and career opportunities for Sport Medicine and Sport Performance professionals in the military setting.

In this episode, I talk with Dr. Adam Ross. Adam is an Assistant Professor of Kinesiology and an Athletic Performance Coach for Baseball at Dallas Baptist University. We discuss the most important factors related to Strength Training and Athletic Performance for collegiate Baseball players, how to program for the grind of long season, and how important it is to find your calling.

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In this episode, I talk with Luke Scribner, Assistant Track & Cross Country Coach, as well as Sports Performance Coach, at Texas A&M University Commerce. We discuss the most important factors for endurance running training, differences between high school and college level training, and how to find perspective and motivation to reach both life goals and training goals.