In this episode, Zach Guiser and John Tropeano tackle some of the most common physical and mental challenges that athletes face.

First, they dive into a specific arm care routine for volleyball players dealing with "hitter's shoulder," breaking down the key exercises for the rotator cuff, serratus anterior, and low trap. Then, they answer a parent's question about helping a discouraged freshman football player with low playing time, using the story of Jalen Hurts as a prime example of character and being a great teammate.

The conversation shifts to the psychology of performance, discussing how to help an athlete break through self-made barriers by stacking small wins. They also explore the "High Expectation, High Support" coaching model as the key to motivating young people. Finally, they provide strategies for building confidence and assertiveness in a young basketball player who is hesitant on the court.

IN THIS EPISODE:

01:00 - How to Manage Hitter's Shoulder in Volleyball

07:00 - When to Push Through Pain vs. When to Rest an Injury

08:53 - Helping a Discouraged Athlete with Low Playing Time

09:50 - The Jalen Hurts Story: Being the Ultimate Teammate

16:59 - How to Break an Athlete's Self-Made Mental Barriers

20:10 - The "High Expectation, High Support" Coaching Method

23:24 - Using a "Cookie Jar" of Past Wins to Build Confidence

25:55 - How to Help a Young Athlete Who Isn't Aggressive

In this entry of the Athlete Development Journal, Dr. Zach Guiser provides a framework for maximizing your potential both on and off the field.

First, he breaks down the two essential character traits for athletic success: conscientiousness (the discipline for details and hard work) and killer instinct (the ability to compete with ruthless confidence on game day).

Next, he dives into the core principles of injury prevention, explaining how 95% of injuries can be avoided through smart load management. Using the analogy of getting a tan versus a sunburn, he illustrates how gradually increasing your body's "load capacity" is the key to staying healthy. He provides a week-by-week template for reverse-engineering your off-season training to prepare for the peak loads of preseason camp.

Finally, he encourages you to find your "why"—the guiding purpose that provides clarity, direction, and motivation through the toughest challenges.

IN THIS EPISODE:

00:00 - Introduction

00:46 - Train Your Mind: Be a Conscientious Killer

02:27 - Build Your Body: How to Avoid 95% of Injuries

08:38 - Fuel Your Soul: What Is Your "Why"?

Everything in these newsletters, podcasts, social media, and on our website is for educational purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice for you or your athlete. Consult directly with a healthcare professional.

In this episode, Zach Guiser and John Tropeano kick off with a look at John's intense preparation for his first full Ironman, detailing the staggering distances involved in the race.

They then jump into your questions, providing specific, actionable drills like sled sprints and tall kneel accelerations to improve a basketball player's first-step quickness. The conversation also covers the multifactorial causes of in-game cramping, the most important exercises for developing rotational power for baseball players, and how to manage a high ankle sprain late in the season. This leads to a detailed breakdown of why the injury protocol has evolved from RICE to POLICE.

Finally, the discussion takes a philosophical turn, exploring why you should be skeptical of anyone who speaks in absolutes and the challenge of maintaining intellectual honesty in an age of online "gurus".

IN THIS EPISODE:

• 01:21 - What a Full Ironman Race Entails

• 03:31 - Best Drills to Improve First Step Quickness Before Tryouts

• 07:04 - The Physics of Shin Angles: How They Make You Faster

• 09:16 - Why Am I Getting Cramps Even Though I Hydrate Constantly?

• 11:57 - Off-Season Conditioning to Prevent In-Season Cramps

• 14:34 - Top 3 Exercises to Increase Bat Speed and Exit Velocity

• 16:50 - How Much Training Should Be Sport-Specific vs. General?

• 19:06 - Playing Through a High Ankle Sprain: How to Manage It

• 23:09 - RICE vs. POLICE: The Modern Way to Treat Acute Injuries

• 27:50 - Why "Always" and "Never" Are Bad Advice (The Problem with Gurus)

• 36:46 - The Difference Between a Patella and Knee Dislocation

• 38:57 - Which Domain is Better: .co or a longer .com?

Welcome to the Athlete Development Journal, where Dr. Zach Guiser helps you train your mind, build your body, and fuel your soul.

In this entry, Zach starts by tackling the "ugliest trait known to mankind": the victim mindset. He shares a story about an intern and explains why taking "extreme ownership" is the only way to control your own life and success.

Next, he provides a complete framework for injury recovery with five actionable steps to heal faster and better. This section covers how to properly protect an injury, manage pain and swelling, the importance of early movement, and how to activate your parasympathetic "rest and digest" system to accelerate recovery. Here's the link to the ice article mentioned in the episode: https://gtperformance.co/%f0%9f%a5%87-is-ice-bad-for-an-injury/

Finally, Zach leaves you with one powerful question from Naval Ravikant to help you find your passion and purpose: "What feels like play to you, but looks like work to others?".

IN THIS EPISODE:

• 00:00 - Introduction to the Athlete Development Journal

• 00:54 - Train Your Mind: The Ugliest Trait (The Victim Mindset)

• 02:04 - Build Your Body: 5 Things You Can Do to Heal Faster From Injury

• 06:50 - Fuel Your Soul: The One Question to Figure Out the Rest of Your Life

In this episode, Zach Guiser and John Tropeano kick things off with a deep dive into the negative effects of cell phones and social media, discussing the "Reverse Flynn Effect" and why Zach is switching to a Light Phone.

Then, they jump into your questions, starting with how athletes can regain coordination after a major growth spurt. The conversation emphasizes the power of mastering the fundamentals, anchored by an inspiring story about Kobe Bryant's relentless dedication to the basics. They also cover a simple, all-around workout for young multi-sport athletes , how to manage Osgood-Schlatter's knee pain , and the most common mistakes athletes make when trying to bulk up. The episode wraps up with a powerful discussion on how the gym can be a place to build confidence and resilience, especially for athletes who don't get much playing time.

IN THIS EPISODE:

• 00:00 - Kobe's Secret: Never Get Bored with the Basics

• 00:47 - Why I'm Ditching My iPhone for a Light Phone

• 12:45 - I Grew 5 Inches and Feel Uncoordinated. What Exercises Can Help?

• 16:49 - The Full Kobe Bryant Story: Mastering the Fundamentals

• 21:04 - What Are the Top 5 Lifts for Runners?

• 23:35 - A Simple Workout for a 10 y/o Soccer Player and 13 y/o Gymnast

• 29:17 - Can I Play Basketball with Osgood-Schlatter's Knee Pain?

• 35:14 - Common Mistakes Thinner Athletes Make When Trying to Bulk Up

• 38:35 - If the Furnace Is Hot Enough, Does It Matter What You Eat?

In this episode, Dr. Zach Guiser and John Tropeano dive into some of the most common questions and concerns from young athletes. They tackle the myth that strength training leads to getting bulky and slow , discuss the "Superpowers vs. Kryptonite" framework for athletic development , and offer strategies for managing sport-specific pain, like low back issues in golfers.

The conversation also covers the critical topics of athlete burnout, especially in sports like softball , and the mental hurdles of returning to play after a major injury like an ACL tear. Listen for practical advice on training, recovery, and how to have difficult but necessary conversations with coaches and parents.

IN THIS EPISODE:

• 00:34 - Is mass transfer a helpful lifelong class?

• 02:52 - Will lifting weights make me bulky and slow?

• 05:21 - How do I get stronger without getting bigger? Should I focus on strength or speed?

• 05:38 - Superpowers vs. Kryptonite

• 13:37 - Exercises for a golfer with low back pain

• 24:15 - How do I tell my coach and dad I'm burned out and need a break?

• 29:25 - How do I overcome the fear of re-injury after ACL surgery?

  
  

1. This podcast and newsletter is completely free. I spend many hours each week researching, writing, recording, editing, and illustrating. The best way you can support it and allow it to continue is to share it with people you know. You can just send them to gtperformance.co/newsletter⁠  and they can subscribe there!
2. Everything in these newsletters, podcasts, and on our website is for educational purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice for you or your athlete. Consult directly with a healthcare professional.
3. We're recording another "Ask Me Anything" episode this week. If you have any athlete development, sports performance, rehab, or life questions for me, send them here!

Ask questions for the next episode here!

00:00

The Future of Education: AI-Powered Schools

02:41

Exploring Alternative School Models

05:53

Performance Training for Dual-Sport Athletes

08:31

Strength Training and Athletic Performance

11:47

Managing Training for Young Athletes

14:43

Recognizing Overuse Injuries in Young Athletes

17:52

The Importance of Recovery and Sleep

20:47

Practical Recovery Strategies for Busy Athletes

40:46

The Importance of Sleep and Recovery

43:00

Understanding the Autonomic Nervous System

44:24

Breathing Techniques for Recovery

45:26

Balancing College Life and Sleep

46:42

The Role of Wearable Technology in Sleep Tracking

51:45

Nutrition and Body Image in Young Athletes

56:26

Relative Strength and Performance

01:03:50

Trends in Athletic Performance Metrics

01:06:32

Managing Performance Fluctuations

01:10:19

Mental Strategies for Game Day Pressure

01:17:55

Nutrition Strategies for High-Intensity Events

Submit questions for our next AMA episode here: https://forms.gle/P73NT3UA6AhMs46u9

00:00 Introduction to Max Velocity Training

01:24 Understanding Max Velocity Mechanics

03:08 The Importance of Elastic Force in Sprinting

05:09 Transitioning from Acceleration to Max Velocity

06:12 Key Objectives for Max Velocity

07:58 Negative Foot Speed Explained

08:53 Applying Force at the Correct Angle

10:58 Foot Placement and Stride Mechanics

13:05 Backside vs. Frontside Mechanics

14:49 The Kinogram Method for Sprint Analysis

22:59 Reframing Life's Bugs as Features

The full Altis Kinogram article can be found here: https://simplifaster.com/articles/altis-kinogram-method/

Subscribe to the newsletter at gtperformance.co/newsletter.

In this episode of the GT Performance Podcast, Dr. Zach Guiser dives deep into the science of speed training, focusing on acceleration as a critical component for athletes. He discusses the importance of applying force effectively, the nuances between acceleration and max velocity, and practical techniques to enhance performance. The conversation also touches on the impact of technology on mental health and the importance of fostering community and connection in today's digital age.

00:00Introduction to the Game Speed Series02:18Understanding acceleration in sprinting05:43Key components of acceleration13:08Rate of force development17:30Directing force25:33Let's run that all back27:41Short form content is ruining our lives