In this episode, Coach Ryan Patrick sits down with Dr. Sam Liu, biomechanist, researcher, and movement specialist with the Miami Marlins organization, to break down the true physics behind jumping, dunking, and speed.

They dive into what most coaches misunderstand about impulse, force, and timing — and how understanding the mechanical objective of movement changes everything. From countermovement jumps to approach takeoffs, Sam translates complex biomechanics into simple, actionable concepts every coach and athlete can apply.

If you’ve ever looked at a force plate trace or a highlight dunk and wondered what’s really happening there, this episode is for you.

Chapters
00:00 – Intro: Dunks, data, and the science of flight
04:25 – The simple physics behind jumping higher
08:45 – Why more approach speed isn’t always better
12:10 – Force × Time: What coaches get wrong about impulse
17:00 – The “Mechanical Objectives” framework explained
21:40 – How to use biomechanics without overcomplicating training
28:15 – What elite jumpers really do differently
33:50 – Jumping with vs. without a ball: The overlooked factor
39:10 – Translating jump mechanics to pitching and sprinting
47:15 – Absorbing force vs. managing momentum
52:40 – What Sam’s research is revealing about human performance
57:30 – Final thoughts: curiosity, humility, and the pursuit of better coaching

🔗 Links & Resources
Follow Dr. Sam Liu on Instagram

Dr. Liu’s research publications: 

Connect with Coach Ryan Patrick: 

Key Takeaways

✅ What great jumpers do with force

✅ Mechanical objectives simplify coaching by focusing on outcomes, not aesthetics.

✅ The biggest limiter to jump height 

✅ Force plates are tools → interpretation > data.

✅ The principles that make a better jumper also make a better pitcher or sprinter.

In this episode of the Athletic Performance Podcast, host Ryan Patrick dives deep with Fabian Salazar, a veteran trainer with 15 years in the game, co-founder of Fit Factor in Houston, and a master of soccer-specific speed and strength development. Fabian shares his origin story from Bally Total Fitness to building a brick-and-mortar gym with his brother, emphasizing mindset shifts, coordination over max effort, and the power of in-person coaching. 

We explore common training pitfalls, balancing speed work with recovery, and the psychological edge for young athletes. Whether you're a coach, parent, or athlete, Fabian's insights on slowing down, using video feedback, and long-term commitment will reshape how you approach performance.


Relevant Links:

Fabian's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fabian_salazarcpt/ 
Fit Factor Gym: https://www.instagram.com/fit_factor_houston/
Athlete Accelerator Program: https://athlete-accelerator.com/

Connect with Ryan: https://www.instagram.com/coachryanpatrick/

Chapters:
[00:00:00] Intro and Fabian's origin story
[00:06:00] Biggest mistakes in soccer speed training
[00:16:30] High-leverage strength moves for athletes
[00:24:30] Mindset shifts and using tech in coaching
[00:32:00] In-person vs. online coaching realities
[00:45:45] Individual differences in acceleration
[00:51:30] Balancing family, business, and chaos
[00:58:00] Advice for young coaches
[01:02:00] Microdosing training experiments
[01:07:00] What's next: Athlete Accelerator program

Every parent wants their kid to succeed, but the hard truth is this: there are no elite 10-year-olds. In this episode, I sit down with Jeremy Frisch, one of the most respected voices in youth athletic development, to talk about early specialization, missing foundations, and how to actually set kids up for long-term success.

We cover everything from tummy time and crawling, to why year-round sports are burning kids out, to the creative ways Jeremy designs training that looks like play but builds athletic monsters. Whether you’re a parent, coach, or athlete, this conversation will change how you see youth sports.

Physical Education: Building the Foundation

Children Moving: A Reflective Approach to Teaching Physical Education

Follow Jeremy

Instagram | X

Follow me:

Instagram | PeakFAST on IG

In this episode of the Athletic Performance Podcast, Coach Ryan Patrick sits down with Sara MacKenzie, Director of Strength & Conditioning at Cal Poly.

Sara shares her journey from a $0/hour intern at Arizona State to running a full department at Cal Poly, the challenges of coaching 500+ athletes solo, and how parenting reshaped her coaching philosophy.

We cover everything from building systems under resource constraints to balancing toughness and empathy in the weight room — and why durability, not numbers, is the ultimate metric of success.

📌 What You’ll Learn

• How Sara broke into strength & conditioning when few women had a seat at the table
• Why her Arizona State internship became the turning point in her career
• The systems she uses to manage programming for hundreds of athletes
• How COVID forced Cal Poly into a “wedding tent weight room”
• Balancing parenthood, leadership, and athlete development without burning out
• Why Sara chose legacy and community over chasing jobs across the country

🔗 Links & Resources

• Cal Poly Athletics
• Follow me: Ryan Patrick on IG

Feet, Ankles, and the Rhythm of Speed with Ryan Hopkins | Athletic Performance Podcast Ep. 50

What if the real key to speed has nothing to do with the weight room...and everything to do with your feet, ankles, and rhythm?

In this episode, Coach Ryan Patrick sits down with Ryan Hopkins (Soho Strength Lab, NYC) to break down the overlooked foundations of sprinting and athletic speed. We dive into cadence, coordination, and why too many coaches slow athletes down instead of letting them chase outputs.

This conversation is packed with practical takeaways for coaches, athletes, and parents who want to understand what really drives speed on the field.

What You’ll Learn

• Why most athletes are leaking performance through their feet and ankles.
• The critical role of rhythm (4+ steps per second) in top-end speed.
• How to balance technical drills with letting athletes “run wild.”
• The problem with always adding more force in S&C.
• Training strategies that actually transfer to game speed.

Chapters

00:00 – Rhythm and cadence: the heartbeat of speed
01:15 – Ryan Hopkins’ journey: from Equinox to Soho Strength Lab
05:00 – Untapped opportunities in youth development
07:00 – The foot & ankle problem (and how to fix it)
12:00 – Training progress: why it takes 1–2 years, not 4 weeks
16:00 – Drills vs. outputs: what really drives speed
22:00 – Session structure: blending rhythm, ranges, and pushes
29:00 – Common errors: cadence, hip separation, and over-striding
36:00 – Teaching range of motion and coordination
39:00 – What’s overvalued: slowing things down to make athletes “fast”
42:00 – Combine prep: retuning Ferraris, not building them
48:00 – Rethinking resisted sprints & horizontal force
50:00 – Why static starts are overrated
53:00 – Change of direction and deception: sport speed vs straight-line speed

🔗 Resources & Links

Soho Strength Lab

Comprehensive Calf Force Profiling – Dylan Carmody & Andy McDonald

Follow Ryan Hopkins on Instagram → @sslryan

Connect with Ryan Patrick → @coachryanpatrick

Join the Conversation

If you’re a coach, parent, or athlete serious about speed, drop your biggest takeaway in the comments. Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share so we can keep bringing you world-class conversations with performance experts.

In this episode, Coach Ryan Patrick sits down with Yassir Kahook, Sports Science Coordinator and Strength Coach at Cressey Sports Performance Florida. Yassir pulls back the curtain on how CSP integrates force plates, Proteus Motion, and the 1080 Sprint into athlete development—from pro baseball players to youth athletes.

You’ll learn:

• The key force plate metrics that matter (and the ones that don’t).
• Why the shape of the force-time curve may be more valuable than jump height.
• How force plates reveal athlete readiness and fatigue beyond the surface.
• Practical testing insights for high school, college, and pro athletes.
• How sports science connects to on-field performance like sprinting, cutting, and throwing velocity.

Whether you’re a coach, athlete, or just a performance nerd, this episode will help you separate the signal from the noise in sports tech—and apply data where it counts most.

📍 Follow Yassir on Instagram: @ykahook
📍 Read his Substack: Performance Science

Episode Summary
In this episode of the Athletic Performance Podcast, Coach Ryan Patrick sits down with Professor Paul Comfort—author, researcher, and one of the leading voices in strength & conditioning science. They unpack the real-world application of force plate testing, the myths around strength thresholds, and how to make smarter programming decisions.

✅ When and how to introduce isometric testing for youth athletes
✅ The truth about “how strong is strong enough”
✅ Why jump ratios (RSI, DSI, EUR) can mislead coaches
✅ Programming lessons from rugby, soccer, and pro athletes
✅ Why periodization is a blueprint, not a rigid script

Links & Resources

• Connect with Coach Ryan Patrick 
• Follow Professor Paul Comfort - X | Research Gate
• Subscribe on Apple Podcasts / Spotify / YouTube

Most goalkeeper training focuses on tactics and technique — but what about the physical side?
Coach Chris Coll has carved out a unique niche in the sports performance world: developing goalkeepers like true athletes.

In this episode, we cover:

• Chris’s unlikely journey from American football to goalie coaching.
• Why speed and velocity matter more than just weight room strength.
• The difference between high effort and high output — and why most keepers confuse the two.
• Movement competency: hip turns, retreating, and deceleration.
• What separates elite goalkeepers from everyone else.
• How better athleticism expands the goalkeeper’s “toolbox.”
• Assessing keepers remotely and building trust with athletes online.

Whether you’re a coach, athlete, or just curious about the evolution of performance training, this conversation will change how you see the goalkeeper position.

🔗 Relevant Links:

• Follow Chris Coll on Instagram: @coachchrisathletics
• Guest mentions: Mike Robertson: Episode 005 - Spotify | Apple

(n this episode of the Athletic Performance Podcast, Coach Ryan Patrick sits down with Lucy Hendricks — gym owner, coach, and former biomechanics educator — to unpack the often-overlooked side of coaching: human connection.Lucy shares how she navigated a toxic business partnership, personal burnout, and even a “mini cancellation” online, ultimately transforming her approach to coaching, leadership, and client relationships.

We discuss:
 • Why soft skills may be the most valuable thing you bring to coaching
• Navigating conflict with business partners (even ex-partners) without burning it all down
• How validation and curiosity can shift client relationships
• Why she stepped away from the biomechanics spotlight
• Building culture and trust inside the gym
• The role of personal growth in professional successWhether you’re a coach, gym owner, or just someone interested in the human side of performance, Lucy’s story is an honest, actionable look at what it takes to thrive in this industry.

Connect with Lucy Hendricks
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lucy_hendricks
Gym Website: https://enhancinglifegym.com

Connect with Coach Ryan Patrick
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coachryanpatrick
Website: https://nkyfitness.com 

🎧 Listen, learn, and start building the relationships your coaching career depends on.

Subscribe for more conversations on coaching, athletic performance, and leadership.

Please remember to rate and review with 5 ⭐️ only!

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