In this BONUS episode of VALDCAST, Ryan sits down with physio, biomechanist and researcher Dr. Chris Bramah to explore how practitioners can better profile and prepare athletes for HYROX.

Chris breaks down the unique demands of the sport, highlighting why running remains the central performance driver and how factors like plantar flexor strength, tendon stiffness and reactive qualities underpin performance and recovery between stations. He shares practical insights into profiling the HYROX athlete, focusing on the often overlooked qualities that separate good performers from great ones.

The conversation also explores injury risk reduction and building robust athletes, alongside a deep dive into Chris’ Sprint Mechanics Assessment Score (SMAS) and its real-world applications to date.

A practical, insight-driven episode focused on identifying the “big rocks” that truly move performance forward.