Pacey Performance Podcast

In this episode of the Pacey Performance Podcast, Rob talks to Head of Athletic Performance and recent World Cup winner with the Springboks, Andy Edwards. He emphasizes the importance of creating a close-knit team atmosphere, much like a family, where hard work and high standards are the norm. Edwards talks about his start at Saracens before moving onto the Springboks, and how maintaining consistency, along with making small but impactful tweaks in training, contributed significantly to their success.

Andy gives a masterclass in balancing data-driven decision-making with gut instincts, emphasizing the importance of understanding players beyond mere numbers. He shares insights into the pressures and exhilarations of leading the Springboks post-World Cup victory and the challenges of maintaining success in the international arena.

Central to the Springboks' World Cup victory were the strategic adjustments in conditioning, focusing on specific rugby positions, and trust-building through small-sided games. Edwards highlights the crucial role of clear communication, mutual respect, and a deep understanding of the game. He reflects on the sense of pride and the collective hard work that culminated in this triumph, marking a 19-year journey filled with unity and commitment to their country.

This episode isn't just for those who work in rugby but for anyone wanting to get an insight into a World Cup winning culture.

Main talking points:

• Creating a family-like team environment and high standards

In this episode of the Pacey Performance Podcast, Rob is joined by Tom Tombleson, Senior Strength and Conditioning Coach with England Rugby. A significant part of their conversation focuses on the innovative use of the warm-up as a movement screen.

This technique, honed through his extensive experience in various coaching roles, including his time at Super Rugby with the New South Wales Waratahs, allows for a detailed analysis of each player's physical capabilities and movement patterns.

Tom emphasizes the importance of this method in individualizing player training. By assessing players during the warm-up, he can tailor exercises to their specific needs, enhancing overall performance and reducing the risk of injury. This approach represents a shift from traditional warm-up routines, integrating functional movement assessment into the very start of training sessions. Tom shares how this strategy not only optimizes physical readiness for training but also serves as an ongoing tool to monitor player progress and adapt training programs accordingly.

The discussion also touches on Tom's journey from being a semi-professional rugby player to a top-level strength and conditioning coach. He reflects on the challenges and learnings throughout his career, providing insights into the evolution of coaching philosophies and methods in high-performance sports. The conversation offers a rare glimpse into the intricacies of professional sports training, with Tom providing practical tips for coaches and athletes alike.

Main talking points:

• Innovations in speed training.

In this episode of the Pacey Performance Podcast, Rob welcomes Gavin Pratt, the Director of Strength and Conditioning at the UFC Performance Institute.

This conversation offers an exclusive look into the world of neck strength training and testing protocols for elite UFC fighters. Gavin Pratt, with his extensive background in strength and conditioning, delves into the critical role of neck strength in the sport of mixed martial arts. He shares his expert insights on the unique challenges faced by UFC fighters and the innovative approaches employed at the UFC Performance Institute to enhance neck strength and prevent injuries. Gavin details the frequency, location and mechanisms behind neck injuries suffered across the UFC, highlighting the importance of more dedicated research and innovation in this area.

Listeners will discover the importance of neck training in mitigating the risks of concussions and neck injuries, which are prevalent in combat sports. Gavin discusses the specific exercises and equipment used in the institute, including the incorporation of tools like the iron neck, and how these are tailored to meet the demands of a UFC fighter's training regimen.

The podcast also explores the cutting-edge testing protocols used to measure and monitor the effectiveness of these training methods. Gavin sheds light on the integration of technology in testing, such as the use of instrumented mouthguards and biomechanical analysis, to gather data on the forces exerted on fighters during training and competition.

This episode is not just an insight into the world of UFC strength and conditioning but also a valuable resource for coaches, trainers, and sports scientists interested in understanding and applying advanced neck strength training techniques.

Main talking points:

• Emphasis on neck strength for fighter safety.

Steph Mock, Assistant AD for Sports Performance at the University of Pittsburgh is on this week's episode of the Pacey Performance Podcast. Steph traced her journey from high school sports to a collegiate volleyball career at West Virginia University. She later transitioned into strength conditioning, working at Clemson University and Mississippi State University, before returning to her alma mater. Her mentors, especially Rick Franzblau, played a crucial role in her professional development​​.

The discussion turns to the experience of being a woman in the predominantly male field of strength and conditioning. Steph highlights the importance of viewing the role as one of leadership, emphasizing skills such as relationship building and managing complex situations, which are gender-neutral. She acknowledges the influence of female leaders within the University of Pittsburgh, including the Chancellor and the Athletic Director, in her career development. This segment underscores the evolution in the field, where gender is becoming less of a defining factor in defining one's leadership and professional capabilities.

A significant portion of the podcast is devoted to the topic of microdosing in training, particularly its application in collegiate sports. Steph delves into her first exposure to the concept at a conference in 2018 and how it influenced her approach to training the volleyball team at the University of Pittsburgh. She explains how microdosing, or splitting training sessions into shorter, more frequent sessions, is particularly effective for in-season training. This approach helps to navigate the constraints of athletes’ schedules, including practices, competitions, and academic commitments. She emphasizes that this methodology allows for more focused, specific stimulus in training sessions, aiding in better preparation and recovery for athletes. The adoption of microdosing was already in place at the University of Pittsburgh, thanks to the head volleyball coach, making it easier for Steph to implement and enhance the practice.

If you're looking to introduce micro dosing into your programming, check out this episode with Steph.

Main talking points:

• Microdosing: Efficient in-season training strategy.

In the Pacey Performance Podcast, host Rob Pacey engages with Aaron Cunanan, the Director of Applied Sports Science for the Cincinnati Reds, delving into various facets of his professional journey and perspectives on sports science. Cunanan begins by acknowledging the influence of mentors like Duncan French, Jeff Head, and John Wagle, who have significantly impacted his development both as a professional and an individual.

Cunanan's career transition from a weightlifting athlete to a coach marks a pivotal point in his narrative. His initial coaching experiences under Dr. Kyle Pierce at the International Weightlifting Federation provided him with valuable insights into systematic and process-oriented coaching in Olympic sports.

A key part of the conversation revolves around Cunanan's approach to training and conditioning. He explains the importance of an adaptation-based approach, emphasizing understanding training principles over specific methods. This philosophy was shaped by his diverse experiences, including his tenure at the UFC Performance Institute and the San Francisco Giants.

Cunanan shares specific examples from his time in the UFC, illustrating the necessity for flexibility and adaptability in training methodologies due to the varied and unpredictable nature of athletes' schedules and physical conditions. He talks about managing the challenges of training MMA athletes with different timelines, highlighting the use of periodization and the strategic balance of conditioning elements to optimize athlete performance.

The conversation also touches upon the integration of sports science in professional sports. Cunanan discusses the thoughtful use of data and technology in training and conditioning, advocating for a problem-driven approach in sports science. He stresses the importance of scientific literacy among practitioners to effectively use technology and data to inform training decisions.

Overall, the podcast offers a rich and insightful perspective into Aaron Cunanan's approaches to sports science and athlete conditioning, blending personal experiences, professional philosophies, and practical strategies in the realm of high-performance sports.

Main takeaways:

• Emphasis on adaptation-based training approach

Hailu featured on episode #446 of the Pacey Performance Podcast. This #bitesize episode takes a great clip from that episode where he discussed -

• The difference between folding and sitting

Check out the full episode with Hailu here - https://www.sportsmith.co/listen/improving-change-of-direction-ability-deceleration-drills-and-coaching-transitional-movements/

This episode is supported by RockDaisy, the only FREE AMS on the market. AMS Lite features reporting capabilities, questionnaires and forms, alerts and communication, data sharing, data visualisation and calendar views.

The podcast features Aaron Walsh, a mental skills performance expert, discussing the importance and integration of mental skills in sports performance. Aaron, with a background in sports and a passion for understanding performance, delves into the mental aspects that differentiate successful athletes from others. His journey, which includes experiences in the US and New Zealand, highlights the significance of mental skills in sports, particularly in high-pressure situations.

Walsh emphasizes that while physical and technical skills are crucial, the mental aspect often becomes the differentiating factor at the highest levels of sport. He categorizes sports into those where athletes initiate movement and those where they respond to it, noting that sports requiring initiation of movement, like golf or penalty kicks in football, have a higher mental demand. Walsh argues that mental skills should be treated like any other skill, with a focus on knowledge, tools, and support for development.

He also touches on the role of mental skills in team environments, stressing the importance of integrating mental skills into coaching, recruitment, and training decisions. Walsh criticizes the common approach of only addressing mental skills when athletes underperform, advocating instead for a proactive and integrated approach.

If you're someone who wants to develop a rounded programme that involves more than just sets and reps, this episode is for you.

Main talking points:

• The role of mental skills in differentiating athlete performance.

This week on the Pacey Performance Podcast, Rob is joined by three amazing guests, all with incredible amounts of experience developing speed with youth athletes.

Alan Murdoch, John Garrish and Micheál Cahill kick off this episode with one of the key questions and one that is talked about a lot, what are the differences when training speed with youth athletes versus adult athletes. Should we be as strict with our technical models? Do we even need technical models? Alan shares his experiences with us and gives us a great place to kick off this conversation.

We look into the tips and tricks to coach these key positions so you can implement the information tomorrow with your athletes. Another common scenario working with all athletes but especially youth athletes is that they are normally coming to us in large groups. But how do we maximise their time and get the biggest learning and training effect that we can? John shares exactly how he does this with his students at North Broward Preparatory School.

In the second half of the episode we dive into the weeds and discuss the exact drills to use with youth athletes. What has worked for these three guys and maybe more importantly, what hasn't. Micheál dives deep into the world of resisted speed training, explaining how they can used as a teaching and coaching tool as well as a training tool. We finish off this conversation with some questions that we put to these three guys on social media.

If you're working with youth athletes and want to maximise your time and their energy, check out this episode with Alan Murdoch, John Garrish and Micheál Cahill.

Main talking points:

• What the key differences are when training youth athletes speed

Jordan featured on episode #452 of the Pacey Performance Podcast. This #bitesize episode takes a great clip from that episode where he discussed -

• How to ensure your contract is suitable for pro sport

Check out the full episode with Jordan here - https://www.sportsmith.co/listen/being-the-managers-guy-and-the-realities-of-losing-your-job-in-pro-sport/

This episode is supported by RockDaisy, the only FREE AMS on the market. AMS Lite features reporting capabilities, questionnaires and forms, alerts and communication, data sharing, data visualisation and calendar views.

This episode of the Pacey Performance Podcast sees Rob speaking to Head of late stage rehab & sports science at Isokinetic Medical Group, London, Filippo Picinini.

The discussion delves into the stages of on-field rehabilitation. Stage one focuses on linear movements, helping players restore confidence and familiarize themselves with the environment. The emphasis is on separating conditioning drills from basic technical drills. The transition from stage one to two is based on criteria like restored strength, normalized running mechanics on a treadmill, and movement quality. Filippo emphasizes the importance of movement quality, noting that players often struggle with basic movements, especially after long-term injuries.

Later in the episode, Filippo details how he progresses athletes into stage two and then through to three, four and five. Throughout the rehabilitation process, Filippo highlights the importance of monitoring players using GPS technology to track metrics like total distance, moderate and high-speed running, and accelerations. This data, combined with the players' physical responses, informs the progression through the rehabilitation stages.

Filippo Piccinini provides valuable insights into late-stage rehabilitation for athletes, emphasizing the importance of movement quality, gradual progression, and the use of technology to monitor and guide the rehabilitation process. If you are managing any athlete through the rehabilitation of a long term injury, this episode is for you.

Main talking points:

• Emphasis on restoring player confidence