Athletic Performance Podcast

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

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

In this episode, I sit down with Nathan Schafer, founder of 3D Athletics, to explore a smarter, more holistic approach to movement training. Rooted in principles learned from Gary Gray, Nathan shares how 3D movement prep, extensive plyos, and strategic variability can develop better movers—and better athletes—without chasing higher and higher outputs.

🎯 Topics covered:

• Why most warm-ups are a wasted opportunity
• The "gear shifting" concept that elite athletes master
• Why movement IQ > pure vertical jump numbers
• The hidden value of isometrics in athletic development
• How to spot and clean up movement deficiencies using 3D patterns
• Practical ways to integrate 3D movement into your warm-ups

Whether you’re a coach, parent, or athlete looking to get better without the grind, this one’s packed with gold.

🔗 Connect with Nathan Schafer:

• Instagram: @3Dathletes
• 3D Movement App: Linked in his bio

🎙 Hosted by @coachryanpatrick

Episode Summary:
In this episode of the Athletic Performance Podcast, Matt Hank challenges conventional speed training methods and shares his unfiltered approach to coaching athletes. If you've ever questioned the effectiveness of traditional sprint drills or wondered how to make weight room work transfer better to the field, this one's for you.

🔥 Highlights & Topics:
✅ Why Matt eliminated "punch down" sprint cues—and what he replaced them with​

✅ The secret to integrating rotational mechanics for real speed gains​

✅ How coaches can bridge the gap between the weight room and on-field performance

 ✅ The #1 mistake most speed coaches make (and how to fix it today)

🎧 Tune in now and rethink everything you thought you knew about speed training!

👉 Follow Matt Hank: @coach_matt_hank
👉 Connect with me: @coachryanpatrick

🔥 In this episode, Coach Ryan Patrick sits down with Dan Brandi to talk all things speed, strength, and agility. 🔥

Topics Covered:
✅ The biggest shifts in youth athlete development
✅ Why less structured training can be more beneficial
✅ The assessment process—what actually matters
✅ Strength training’s role in speed development
✅ Change of direction training: is it overrated?
✅ Best technology & tools for tracking athletic progress

💬 Have questions? Drop them in the comments!

📌 Follow Dan Brandi: @BuildCT on Instagram
📌 Follow Ryan Patrick: @coachryanpatrick

🔔 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit the bell icon for more high-performance training content!

In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Lance Brooks, a PhD in applied physiology and biomechanics, to break down the real science behind sprinting faster. We challenge common sprint training myths, including the power paradigm, the role of breaking forces, and whether force-velocity profiling is as useful as it's made out to be.

If you're a coach, athlete, or speed training nerd, this episode is packed with research-backed insights that will transform how you approach sprint mechanics and acceleration.

💡 Key Topics Covered:
 ✅ The biggest misconceptions about power training and sprint speed
 ✅ Why force-velocity profiling might not be the best metric
 ✅ The truth about breaking forces – they’re NOT your enemy
 ✅ The problem with squatty running and improper shin angles
 ✅ Sled training: helpful or overhyped?
 ✅ What actually limits top speed and how to improve it
 ✅ The #1 bottleneck for elite sprint performance

🚀 Timestamps:
 00:00 – Intro to the Episode
 01:00 – Who is Lance Brooks?
 03:30 – The Science of Sprinting: From Macro to Micro
 08:00 – Why Power Training is Misleading for Sprinting
 14:00 – The Force-Velocity Profiling Controversy
 20:30 – The Truth About Breaking Forces in Sprinting
 28:00 – Squatty Running, Shin Angles, and Sprint Technique Myths
 34:00 – The Role of Sleds in Sprint Training (Are We Overdoing It?)
 40:00 – How to Improve Acceleration the Right Way
 45:00 – What Actually Limits Top Speed?
 50:00 – The #1 Bottleneck for Sprint Performance
 54:00 – Where to Find Lance Brooks and His Latest Research

🔗 Resources & Links:
 📘 Lance’s Website & Sprint Training Course: https://www.brooksperformancemethods.com/.com
📩 Subscribe to Lance’s Performance Journal: Brooks Performance Methods Journal
📸 Follow Lance on Instagram: @BrooksPerformanceMethods | @LanceBrooks_PhD

 "Why Most Rehab Fails—And How to Fix It with David Grey"

Most rehab programs fail—not because athletes don’t work hard, but because they miss the key ingredients for real recovery and long-term resilience. Today, I sit down with David Grey, a leading expert in movement, rehab, and athletic performance, to break down exactly what’s missing in traditional rehab and how to bridge the gap between rehab and high performance.

🔹 In this episode, we cover:
✅ Why so many athletes struggle with chronic injuries and setbacks
✅ The biggest mistakes in ACL rehab (and how to avoid them)
✅ Why intensity is the missing link in most return-to-play programs
✅ How to manage in-season injuries without sacrificing performance
✅ The difference between "feeling better" and actually getting better
✅ Footwear, plyometrics, and other overlooked factors in rehab

David’s approach is equal parts science, experience, and no-BS coaching, and this conversation is packed with insights you can apply immediately—whether you’re a coach, therapist, or athlete working to stay in the game.

🔥 Don’t just hope for a better rehab process—build one that actually works.

📌 Follow David Grey:
🔗 IG: https://www.instagram.com/davidgreyrehab/

🎧 Listen & Subscribe:

In this episode, Coach Ryan Patrick sits down with speed training expert Mike Kozak to break down sprint mechanics, acceleration, and the misconceptions surrounding traditional speed development. Mike shares his evolution from strength-based training to a more efficient, biomechanically sound approach to sprinting.

Topics Covered:
✅ The importance of shin angle change in acceleration
✅ Why pushing harder isn't always the key to faster sprints
✅ The squatted running posture and its role in force production
✅ Adjusting training for heavy, strength-biased athletes vs. elastic athletes
✅ Applying sprint principles to volleyball and vertical jump training
✅ What drills to remove from your speed training program

If you're a coach, athlete, or strength professional looking to refine your sprint training methodology, this episode is packed with actionable insights!

[00:00] - Introduction
[02:54] - Mike Kozak's Background & Journey into Speed Training
[06:00] - Early Influences & The NFL Combine Revelation
[10:14] - Moving Away from Traditional Strength-Based Speed Training
[16:24] - Acceleration Mechanics & The Squatted Posture
[24:03] - Overcoming Overstriding & Inefficient Push Mechanics
[32:07] - Shin Angle Change & Its Role in Sprinting
[38:51] - Structuring a Training Session for Speed Development
[45:00] - Applying Speed Concepts to Volleyball & Vertical Jumping
[49:49] - What to Remove from Speed Training Programs
[54:11] - Final Takeaways on Sprinting & Athletic Development
[59:00] - Where to Find Mike Kozak

Connect with Mike Kozak:
IG: @soarfitness

💬 What are your thoughts on this episode? Drop a comment below!

#SpeedTraining #Acceleration #SprintMechanics #AthleticDevelopment #SportsPerformance #StrengthAndConditioning #VerticalJump #SpeedCoach #Sprinting #CoachRyanPatrick

In this episode of the Athletic Performance Podcast, I s it down with Tony Holler, creator of the renowned "Feed the Cats" system and one of the most influential voices in sprint training. Tony shares his unconventional approach to athletic performance, focusing on speed, recovery, and optimized training for athletes at all levels.

Key Highlights:

• The origins and philosophy of the "Feed the Cats" program.
• How Tony Holler's methods contributed to Saquon Barkley's standout season.
• Why traditional "grind" training falls short of optimizing athletic performance.
• Insights into speed development, multi-directional training, and the role of recovery in maximizing output.
• The significance of the "Truck Stick" metric for assessing momentum in big athletes.
• Lessons from sprint training applied to team sports like football, lacrosse, and soccer.

Tony and I dive into actionable strategies for coaches, parents, and athletes to adopt a performance-based model. Discover how small tweaks in training philosophy can yield big results on the field and beyond.

Connect with Tony Holler:

• Twitter: @pntrack

Join the Conversation:

• Have questions or feedback? Email us at [email protected].
• Love this episode? Leave a 5-star review to help us reach more coaches like you.

Tune in and rethink what it takes to unleash elite athletic performance!

What if you could unlock hidden inches in your vertical jump—without months of training? That’s exactly what Tyler Ray, aka “The Jump Guy,” does every day in his lab. In this episode, I sat down with Tyler to uncover the secrets behind his unique methods, from maximizing controlled acceleration to improving approach techniques for volleyball, basketball, and more.

Tyler’s insights go beyond numbers on a force plate—he’s all about teaching athletes how to feel their jump, boost confidence, and break through plateaus. Whether you're a coach looking for actionable tips or an athlete eager to level up, this episode is packed with gems you don’t want to miss.

Resources & Links

• Follow Tyler Ray
  • Instagram: @jumpguyty
  • YouTube: Jump Guy Ty
• Connect with Coach Ryan Patrick
  • Instagram: @coachryanpatrick
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