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In this episode of The Athletic Performance Podcast, Ryan sits down with legendary coach Henk Kraaijenhof. Henk has quietly influenced generations of sprint coaches around the world—not by dictating methods, but by asking better questions and helping others think critically about adaptation and performance.

Henk has coached Olympic champions, broken world records, and even walked away from coaching for several years—only to return with the same curiosity that fueled his early success.

🎯 What you’ll learn in this episode:

• Why one athlete’s breakthrough can be another’s downfall
• How strength training fits (or doesn’t fit) into sprint performance
• The hidden dangers of “grind culture” in athletic development
• Why individualized programming beats cookie-cutter plans every time
• Lessons from decades of coaching at the highest level

If you’ve ever questioned whether you’re doing too much—or not enough—as a coach, this conversation will make you rethink your approach.

Email Henk.
Visit Henk's Website

Henk on IG

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What’s the least you can do to maintain or even build muscle? How do you balance movement quality with output for athletes? And is there such a thing as “too much” technical obsession?

In this episode, I’m joined by Ryan L’Ecuyer—bodybuilder, strength coach, and expert in hypertrophy and movement strategies. We cover:

✅ Minimal effective dose for hypertrophy (and why less might be more).
 ✅ How to balance athletic movement and output in programming.
 ✅ Smarter ways to train in-season without losing size or strength.
 ✅ Our unfiltered takes on trends in strength & conditioning—and why coaches often overcomplicate the basics.

This one is part masterclass, part comedy special. Whether you’re a coach, athlete, or just someone trying to train for life, you’ll walk away with practical insights (and a few laughs).

Email Ryan

Subscribe to the show

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How Cole Hergott Built a System, Not a Staff

When Cole Hergott took over as the Head Strength Coach at Trinity Western University, he was just 25 years old— from "one of the boys" to the man in charge. 

Now, he runs one of the tightest systems in Canadian college athletics, managing over 300 athletes solo with no assistant coaches.

In this episode, Cole breaks down:

• How he earned authority after transitioning from teammate to coach
• His systems for managing remote training and holding athletes accountable in the offseason
• What it actually looks like to lead with relationships and not ego
• Why he dropped Olympic lifts and simplified everything
• How he collaborates with private sector coaches instead of battling them

This is a masterclass on building culture, scaling coaching systems, and learning the hard way what really works.

Follow Cole Hergott & TWU S&C on Instagram

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In this episode, Dr. Krista Scott-Dixon joins the podcast to flip the script on “mental toughness” and reframe what true resilience looks like—especially in high-performance environments. From special operations to sport, Krista’s work helps coaches and athletes build capacity without burning out.

We dive into the psychology of performance, coaching with compassion, and why goal-setting without identity work is a dead end. With her background as Director of Curriculum at Precision Nutrition and her current work with Building the Elite and Simple, Krista brings elite-level experience to the gritty realities of coaching, failure, and behavior change.

You’ll learn:

• Why failure + self-compassion is the formula for growth
• The difference between productive and destructive stress
• How to coach without creating dependency or burnout
• What “deep health” really means and how to pursue it

Whether you work with athletes, military personnel, or everyday clients—this episode is a masterclass in coaching the whole human.

Where you can find KSD:

Why Me Want Eat book on Amazon.com 

Instagram - @stumptuous

Tiktok - https://www.tiktok.com/@stumptuous

Facebook 

• https://www.facebook.com/coach.krista.scottdixon
• https://www.facebook.com/whymewanteat/
• https://www.facebook.com/stumptuous/

Website: 

• stumptuous.com (Personal)
• 1% Better Academy

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In this episode of The Athletic Performance Podcast, I sit down with Blair Lloyd — a dynamic strength and conditioning coach, educator, and mentor currently serving as Director of Training at Pure Performance in Boston.

Blair shares her journey from collegiate basketball player to private sector performance coach, opening up about how a recent ACL injury has reshaped her perspective — not just as an athlete, but as a leader and mentor. What started as a devastating moment turned into a springboard for deeper empathy, smarter coaching, and powerful new opportunities.

They dive into:

• The emotional and professional fallout of a season-ending injury (and how she reframed it)
• Supporting injured athletes beyond the weight room
• Using NIRS and CPSS prep to enhance recovery and performance
• The role of lived experience in becoming a more impactful coach
• How to build authentic mentorships in a field full of noise
• Why it’s better to master the basics than chase new variations
• The power of “creating opportunity” even when it feels like chaos

Whether you're a coach, athlete, or someone in the trenches trying to make a difference, this episode is a masterclass in growth through adversity.

🔗 Relevant Links & Resources

• Blair Lloyd on Instagram: @coachblairlloyd
• Soccer Unity Project: soccerunityproject.org

📲 Connect with Coach Ryan Patrick

• Instagram: @coachryanpatrick

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What separates athletes who peak at 17… from the ones who keep climbing through college and beyond?

In this episode of the Athletic Performance Podcast, I sit down with rotational power coach Bill Miller to break down the blueprint for building durable, high-output baseball athletes — the kind that actually transfer their strength and speed to the field.

We cover:

• Force vs. velocity profiling — and why most programs miss the mark
• How to use med ball throws, Proteus, and VBT to monitor real adaptation
• Managing asymmetries and reducing injury risk in rotational athletes
• The myth of novelty and why the best athletes win by mastering the basics
• How D3 athletes become D1 stars through long-term training consistency

If you're serious about performance that lasts, this episode is a masterclass in doing the unsexy work that separates good from great.

🔗 Follow Bill
IG: @billmillertraining
Patreon
Books: Swing Fast, Throw Fast, Testing is Training

🎧 Subscribe to the Athletic Performance Podcast for more episodes on speed, strength, and skill transfer. 

Follow me on IG

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In this episode of the Athletic Performance Podcast, we’re joined by Sarah Martin — a neurobiologist-turned-physical therapist who went from publishing research to helping athletes reclaim their movement and eliminate chronic pain.

Sarah breaks down how rigid movement patterns develop, why most mobility drills miss the point, and how we can use tension release, neurological awareness, and coaching language to unlock long-term performance gains.

Whether you're a coach, athlete, or clinician, Sarah’s framework will challenge your assumptions — and give you the tools to spot the real movement problems hiding in plain sight.

🧠 What You’ll Learn:

• Why “try harder” is often the wrong cue for athletes in pain
• How tension release works neurologically — and why it’s harder than contracting
• The critical role of support and propping in restoring motion
• How high-performing athletes mask poor strategies with strength
• When stiffness is needed... and when it’s compensating
• How to build movement options so you don’t wear out your go-to pattern
• The one thing most kids — and their nervous systems — are missing in modern training

🔗 Resources & Mentions:

• Find Sarah at Move+Smart Physical Therapy
• Katie Sinclair episode on the pelvic floor: Listen here (Apple podcasts)
• Coach Ryan Patrick on IG

CHAPTERS

00:00 – Intro & Sarah’s Unconventional Journey
 01:00 – From Neurobiology to Powerlifting to PT
 06:00 – Mentorship, PRI, and Learning Through Struggle
 09:00 – The Neurology of Tension & Why Relaxing Is Harder
 13:00 – Breaking Free from the “Try Harder” Mindset
 17:00 – Teaching Clients to Release, Not Just Contract
 21:00 – Laying New Motor Patterns (and Killing Old Ones)
 24:00 – How to Rewire Painful Patterns for Performance
 27:00 – Producing Force: Ground vs. Internal Bracing
 30:00 – Why Movement Variability Is the Real Goal
 34:00 – Rigid Youth Athletes & the Cost of Over-Coaching
 37:00 – Giving Kids Permission to Mess Up & Play Again
 41:00 – Coaching with Vibes: How to Actually Unlock Movement
 44:00 – Play, Laughter & the Lost Art of Letting Go
 46:00 – Experience vs. Expertise: Knowing What to Do When
 49:00 – Language, Permission & Autonomy in Coaching
 52:00 – Building Self-Reliant Athletes Who Own Their Patterns
 55:00 – The Hidden Art of Coaching High-Level Performers
 59:00 – Helping Pro Athletes Tune Out the Noise

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How do you build fast, powerful athletes without burning them out?

In this episode, I’m joined by Ryan Banta—coach, educator, and author of The Sprinter’s Compendium. He’s the creator of the Critical Mass Training System and one of the sharpest minds in track & field today.

We cover:

• Why training frequency > volume for developing female athletes
• How early freshman success can be a trap—and how he avoids breaking talent too soon
• Why Fly 30 testing is one of his most powerful tools for long-term prediction
• The real reason most strength programs fail sprinters
• How to navigate training interference without compromising development
• And the importance of using data—not bias—to guide event selection

If you're a coach, sport scientist, or just tired of the overtraining arms race, this conversation is a must.

📘 Grab Ryan’s book: The Sprinter’s Compendium
🌐 Follow Ryan Banta on Instagram

Learn more about Ryan's Critical Mass Training System here.

🎙️ Hosted by @coachryanpatrick

 ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️  Please rate, review, and subscribe -- 5 stars only!

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In this episode of The Athletic Performance Podcast, Coach Ryan Patrick sits down with Stephanie Grubbs, Major League Strength Coach for the Houston Astros, to dive deep into:

• Microdosing strategies for in-season training
• The art of managing recovery across a grueling 162+ game schedule
• How sports science informs smarter coaching decisions
• Building individualized athlete "menus" for better buy-in and performance
• Lessons from college to pro transitions—and why adaptability is the ultimate skill

Stephanie shares real-world tactics from her journey through Clemson, Mississippi State, Pitt, the NFL Women's Forum, and now the MLB. Whether you're a coach, an athlete, or a performance nerd, this conversation is packed with practical insights to level up your training.

Links Mentioned

• Email Steph: [email protected]
• Follow Steph on Instagram @coachstephmock
• Follow us on IG: @coachryanpatrick

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In this episode, I down with movement expert Katie St. Clair to unpack the principles behind smart training that bridges rehab and performance. We dive into how to restore movement variability, improve pelvic floor function, and go beyond isolated breathing drills to train resilient, powerful clients—without overcomplicating things.

What we cover in this episode:

• How Katie evolved her model from detailed assessments to movement-based coaching
• When internal rotation isn’t the problem—and what to do instead
• The role of connective tissue behavior in solving stubborn movement dysfunction
• Pelvic floor dysfunction in athletes (yes, even the male ones)
• Why jumping is underused in gen pop and how to safely reintroduce it
• A framework for building glutes without sacrificing hip motion
• Coaching athletes and adults to be powerful, springy, and pain-free for life

This is a must-listen for strength coaches, rehab pros, physical therapists, and personal trainers who want to blend biomechanics, breathing, strength, and practical coaching into a seamless system.

Links to Katie’s work:
🔗 Katie's Website
🔗 Katie’s Instagram

Learn more from Coach Ryan:
🔗 Instagram - @coachryanpatrick

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