I’ve got a good one for you today my friend!

Bill Hartman brings 35 years of experience, and more importantly, a totally unique way of thinking about rehab, performance, and movement.

In our conversation, we take a deep dive into how he moved from standard, rule-based systems to a principle-driven framework called the UHP that helps him make better decisions with less guesswork.

Along the way, we get into the bigger ideas behind his model—why shape and position matter, how the whole system influences performance, and why the best solutions often come from understanding movement in context rather than chasing isolated fixes.

It’s always great to get Bill back on the show, and I promise this one won’t disappoint.

Let’s dive in!

I got frustrated because I kept hitting dead ends – so I scrapped everything and started from scratch

The minute you start adding resistance, you’re adding a challenge where the load becomes the constraint

It’s not just about “pushing this thing” – It’s like “hold this position as you do something”

Are you tired of using clunky, antiquated program design tools like Microsoft Word or Excel?

Are you ready to level up your programming, and make it far more engaging to your clients and athletes?

If so, you need to check out Train Heroic.

I’ve been using TrainHeroic for years now both here at RTS and at IFAST, and I can tell you the user experience both as an athlete and coach is truly second to none.

To learn more and start your free 14-day trial, just follow this link to learn more about Train Heroic.

Not only will you get your first 14 days free, but it’s just $10/month to get started officially after that.

So don’t wait any longer – head over trainheroic.co/rts and start crafting beautiful programs your clients and athletes will love TODAY!

Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of The Physical Preparation Podcast!

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Podcasts and leave your honest review. I’d also love to connect via Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram or visit our website.

Thanks so much for your support – love and appreciate you!

The post Bill Hartman on Movement Models, Return to Play, and Playing the Probabilities appeared first on Robertson Training Systems.

Okay my friend, we’re back for Round #2 this week!

Last week, I had some AWESOME questions for the show, so that made for a fun episode that got a ton of positive feedback.

But I got so many good questions about assessments and return to play, I wanted to put all those into a second Q&A episode for this week!

Here we’ll not only cover my assessment process for both gen pop clients and athletes, but also take a deep dive into return to play – and how to navigate those waters with both a ton of OR minimal technology and resources.

There’s a ton of ground to cover here so let’s dive in!

If you don’t have the mobility and you’ve got extra fluid in your knee, you’re not going to have optimal strength

Start with a CMJ first, and then, when they’re ready for it, the better test for return to sport is the CMJ rebound

Don’t let a lack of resources hold you back. If you can dial in the details, I think in a lot of cases, you’re gonna get 90% of what you need to out of the rehab process without a ton of tech.

Hawkin Dynamics designs and builds performance hardware and software the right way.

Their dual wireless force plates give you the most accurate, real-time data on athletic performance.

You’ll have the ability to performance test your athletes in a matter of seconds, and give them immediate feedback on their strengths, weaknesses and readiness for that day’s training session.

Their software is designed in house and continually updated to ensure the interface is clean, intuitive and easy to use, so both you and your athletes can visualize what’s going on and how to improve their performance.

And Hawkin Dynamics is built around their customers and provide industry-leading support and training services to ensure you get the most out of their solutions.

With options to lease or buy, coupled with a 5-year warranty, Hawkin Dynamics force plates can take your performance facility to the next level.

To learn more, head over to HawkinDynamics.com or follow them on Instagram @HawinDynamics.

Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of The Physical Preparation Podcast!

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Podcasts and leave your honest review. I’d also love to connect via Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram or visit our website.

Thanks so much for your support – love and appreciate you!

The post June Q&A #2: Performance Assessments, Return to Play, and Optimizing Knee Health appeared first on Robertson Training Systems.

I asked, and you answered the bell!

In fact, I got SO MANY questions from this Q&A podcast that I had to break it up into two separate episodes.

In today’s show, I put 45-minutes on the clock and knock out as many questions as I can get to.

So whether you’re interested in learning more about mobility, speed training for young athletes, or why I charge for my mentorship programs and services, I cover a TON of materials in this quick hitting and informative show.

Let’s dive in!

The best programs are vertically integrated, but think of them as levers or dials? Not all of them are at a level 10 in every training block

Recovery becomes a real issue if your training sessions are pushing two, two and a half, or three hours every time you’re in the gym

If you find value in something, you’ll find a way to get it done

Are you tired of using clunky, antiquated program design tools like Microsoft Word or Excel?

Are you ready to level up your programming, and make it far more engaging to your clients and athletes?

If so, you need to check out Train Heroic.

I’ve been using TrainHeroic for years now both here at RTS and at IFAST, and I can tell you the user experience both as an athlete and coach is truly second to none.

To learn more and start your free 14-day trial, just follow this link to learn more about Train Heroic.

Not only will you get your first 14 days free, but it’s just $10/month to get started officially after that.

So don’t wait any longer – head over trainheroic.co/rts and start crafting beautiful programs your clients and athletes will love TODAY!

Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of The Physical Preparation Podcast!

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Podcasts and leave your honest review. I’d also love to connect via Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram or visit our website.

Thanks so much for your support – love and appreciate you!

The post June Q&A: Professional Mentorship, Unlocking Mobility, and Speed Training for Young Athletes appeared first on Robertson Training Systems.

Tanner Care is the Director of Performance for both the BC Lions and the Vancouver Bandits, and over the past couple of months, I’ve really enjoyed learning more about his thought process and approach.

So why not bring him on the podcast and dive a little deeper?

In this episode of the show, Tanner outlines his comprehensive approach to training basketball players.

Whether it’s using force plate assessments to drive his program design, or simply being more effective with our in-season and foot/ankle specific training, I really think there’s something in the episode of everyone.

Let’s dive in!

The Natera run-specifics ISO’s were great because it allowed me to broaden my lens, and ultimately provide clarity as to where these athletes are potentially deficient

I want to have a relationship so I can – at the very least  – transfer their data and show what we’ve kind of mapped out over  of the summer

I talk to my athletes all the time about this notion of poison and antidote. If we look at the sporting demands of basketball, it is a ton of breaking forces, a ton of accels and decels, and that’s going to impose a very large demand on the body – so we need to know what the antidote is

Hawkin Dynamics designs and builds performance hardware and software the right way.

Their dual wireless force plates give you the most accurate, real-time data on athletic performance.

You’ll have the ability to performance test your athletes in a matter of seconds, and give them immediate feedback on their strengths, weaknesses and readiness for that day’s training session.

Their software is designed in house and continually updated to ensure the interface is clean, intuitive and easy to use, so both you and your athletes can visualize what’s going on and how to improve their performance.

And Hawkin Dynamics is built around their customers and provide industry-leading support and training services to ensure you get the most out of their solutions.

With options to lease or buy, coupled with a 5-year warranty, Hawkin Dynamics force plates can take your performance facility to the next level.

To learn more, head over to HawkinDynamics.com or follow them on Instagram @HawinDynamics.

Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of The Physical Preparation Podcast!

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Podcasts and leave your honest review. I’d also love to connect via Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram or visit our website.

Thanks so much for your support – love and appreciate you!

The post Tanner Care on Foot Strength, In-Season Training, and Unlocking an Athletes Superpowers appeared first on Robertson Training Systems.

I’m baaaaccckkkk! Did you miss me?

It’s been a minute since I did a solo show, so I figured it was time to jump back in and hit you with some of the good stuff.

Here we’re going to dive into seven things I’ve been thinking about lately, which are sandwiched between some random work and life updates as well.

So without any further ado, let’s dive in and talk shop!

I think one of my goals with IFAST Basketball is to just help the next generation of hoopers move better than we did

You can’t let athletes get hurt in the weight room. Like Joe Ken and I used to say, we (the strength coaches) are the often sane person in the room

For me, the most important thing is creating content versus consuming it – it’s trying to be more signal and not a part of the noise

Gym owners and coaches, have you heard about PushPress?

It’s the best gym management software company and it’s revolutionizing the fitness world.

So check this out: PushPress is built BY gym owners. They understand the ins and outs of running a fitness business because they’re “in the trenches” in their own gyms every single day.

Key products like Core, Grow, and Train are designed to help you with everything from billing and scheduling to lead generation and progress tracking.

Built on the “help first” ethos, PushPress places an exceptional focus on prioritizing client needs, listening to feedback from their community, and using it as the impetus for its ever-evolving, innovative features.

And here’s the strongest plug I can give them – I’ve actually switched to PushPress for all of my clients and athletes.

Getting things set-up and running smoothly is not only easier, but also far more intuitive than many other solutions.

So if you’re interested in learning more, just head over to pushpress.com/ppp.

Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of The Physical Preparation Podcast!

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Podcasts and leave your honest review. I’d also love to connect via Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram or visit our website.

Thanks so much for your support – love and appreciate you!

The post 7 Things I’m Thinking About (And Work/Life Updates) appeared first on Robertson Training Systems.

In this episode, Austin Ulrich shares how a curiosity-driven approach transformed his understanding of movement and patient care.

His journey from powerlifter to clinical innovator reveals how traditional education often falls short, and how a mindset of lifelong learning is key to growth.

For Austin, questioning traditional biomechanical models and diving into foundational sciences like physics, biology and chemistry have lead to more effective treatment strategies – and better outcomes.

This episode will inspire you to to rethink movement, reimagine your PT practice, and reignite your passion for helping others move better than ever.

Because of my experiences, I’m a more curious and creative individual, and I love the work I do now. I’m always questioning things and trying to understand at a deeper level.

It’s a never-ending process. There’s no finish line. And I wouldn’t want there to be.

It’s just a whole different culture at IFAST, but the same time, you’re constantly trying to get better.

Are you tired of using clunky, antiquated program design tools like Microsoft Word or Excel?

Are you ready to level up your programming, and make it far more engaging to your clients and athletes?

If so, you need to check out Train Heroic.

I’ve been using TrainHeroic for years now both here at RTS and at IFAST, and I can tell you the user experience both as an athlete and coach is truly second to none.

To learn more and start your free 14-day trial, just follow this link to learn more about Train Heroic.

Not only will you get your first 14 days free, but it’s just $10/month to get started officially after that.

So don’t wait any longer – head over trainheroic.co/rts and start crafting beautiful programs your clients and athletes will love TODAY!

Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of The Physical Preparation Podcast!

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Podcasts and leave your honest review. I’d also love to connect via Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram or visit our website.

Thanks so much for your support – love and appreciate you!

The post Austin Ulrich on Mental Models, Lifelong Learning, and Cash-Based Physical Therapy appeared first on Robertson Training Systems.

Today I’ve got the man, the myth, the LEGEND Eric Cressey on the podcast.

Now you may know Eric as the Director of Player Health and Performance for the New York Yankees, or for his incredibly successful gym, Cressey Sports Performance.

But in case you didn’t know, Eric and I go waaaaayyyy back.

If you watch the video, you’ll see I actually pull out the old DVD’s we created together back in the early 2000’s and 2010’s.

But now that we’ve both been in the game 20+ years, what have we learned along the way?

How are young athletes more broken than ever before?

How can we use technology to positively impact our assessments and programming?

And perhaps most importantly, what can we do as trainers and coaches to help shape the next generation of young coaches and athletes?

We cover all that – and much more – in this week’s episode of the Physical Preparation Podcast!

You have to solve a problem, and you have to consistently over deliver on value – and I don’t think people who cut corners will ever do that.

The most important thing that we can do for kids is we’ve got to expose them to a wide variety of stimuli. We’ve got to make them curious about figuring out movement problems

We’re seeing more and more college baseball players taking Toradol to get through a season…these kids are more broken than ever before in the college ranks

Hawkin Dynamics designs and builds performance hardware and software the right way.

Their dual wireless force plates give you the most accurate, real-time data on athletic performance.

You’ll have the ability to performance test your athletes in a matter of seconds, and give them immediate feedback on their strengths, weaknesses and readiness for that day’s training session.

Their software is designed in house and continually updated to ensure the interface is clean, intuitive and easy to use, so both you and your athletes can visualize what’s going on and how to improve their performance.

And Hawkin Dynamics is built around their customers and provide industry-leading support and training services to ensure you get the most out of their solutions.

With options to lease or buy, coupled with a 5-year warranty, Hawkin Dynamics force plates can take your performance facility to the next level.

To learn more, head over to HawkinDynamics.com or follow them on Instagram @HawinDynamics.

Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of The Physical Preparation Podcast!

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Podcasts and leave your honest review. I’d also love to connect via Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram or visit our website.

Thanks so much for your support – love and appreciate you!

The post Eric Cressey on Athletic Development, Sports Science, and Becoming a Great Coach appeared first on Robertson Training Systems.

With over 30 years in high performance sport, Ben Sporer has seen what it takes to be successful at the highest level of sport.

From Canadian Olympic athletes to the Vancouver Whitecaps of the MLS, Ben has made a career on being clear and intentional about the goals of his program.

So where do we go wrong when writing programs?

Are we too caught up in the 1% that we’re missing the long hanging fruit?

Or are we too enamored with cool recovery modalities that we’re actually NOT getting the training adaptations we want?

We cover all that – and much more – in this week’s episode of the Physical Prep Podcast!

Performance is an output. It’s not an outcome. It’s an expression of a bunch of integrated factors in a moment to try to achieve an objective.

Marginal gains matter only when they actually matter. Fundamentals first, marginal gains second.

Integration is a verb, it’s an action. It requires people to actually talk.

Gym owners and coaches, have you heard about PushPress?

It’s the best gym management software company and it’s revolutionizing the fitness world.

So check this out: PushPress is built BY gym owners. They understand the ins and outs of running a fitness business because they’re “in the trenches” in their own gyms every single day.

Key products like Core, Grow, and Train are designed to help you with everything from billing and scheduling to lead generation and progress tracking.

Built on the “help first” ethos, PushPress places an exceptional focus on prioritizing client needs, listening to feedback from their community, and using it as the impetus for its ever-evolving, innovative features.

And here’s the strongest plug I can give them – I’ve actually switched to PushPress for all of my clients and athletes.

Getting things set-up and running smoothly is not only easier, but also far more intuitive than many other solutions.

So if you’re interested in learning more, just head over to pushpress.com/ppp.

Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of The Physical Preparation Podcast!

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Podcasts and leave your honest review. I’d also love to connect via Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram or visit our website.

Thanks so much for your support – love and appreciate you!

The post Ben Sporer on Sequencing Training, Clear Objectives and Marginal Gains appeared first on Robertson Training Systems.

Here are a couple of questions I’ve been thinking a lot about lately…

What should “longevity” training look and feel like?

Is early specialization as bad as we make it out to be?

And how do we ensure better success with our rehab and return to play athletes?

If you’re curious about any of these topics, you’re going to love this episode with Resilient Performance and PT founder Doug Kechijian!

One thing I love about Doug is that he’s not going to simply go with the flow – he’s always going to take a practical and balanced viewpoint on different subjects.

So if you’re interested in using common sense over the current dogma, you’re going to love this episode!

Age conspires against us, so how do we not deteriorate with age? It starts with being relentlessly consistent. And it’s easier to be consistent when you’re not constantly getting hurt!

You’re using the weight room as a way to increase the stress piggy bank of your athletes, so that when they play their sport, it’s not expensive

The kid who does the thing more and doesn’t get hurt is going to be better at it, because the skill component of sports is so high

Are you looking for ways to coach more effectively while cuing less?

Or getting your clients and athletes into the right position WITHOUT overwhelming them with 35 cues every set?

If so, you need to check out Whatsthatstrap!

What’s That Strap makes specialty cable machine attachments that are specifically designed for rotation and multidirectional movement.

The 3D Strap is amazing for driving separation between the hips and shoulders like you would in tennis, golf, baseball or even basketball, but it can also be used to resist rotation in standard weight room exercises like squats and lunges as well.

And while the 3D Strap is awesome, I also find myself using their chop handles all the time as well. Whether it’s for exercises like chops and lifts, or just using them as a bonus sled dragging attachment, I absolutely love their versatility.

To learn more about Whatsthatstrap or pick up a 3D Strap or chop handles, head over to WhatsThatStrap.com and use the discount code RTS at checkout to get free shipping on all US orders.

I know you’re going to love training with their attachments!

Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of The Physical Preparation Podcast!

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Podcasts and leave your honest review. I’d also love to connect via Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram or visit our website.

Thanks so much for your support – love and appreciate you!

The post Doug Kechijian on Early Specialization, Longevity Training, and Rehab Success appeared first on Robertson Training Systems.

Andy McDonald is a strength and conditioning coach turned rehab innovator. He’s the founder of Gameplan Performance, and host for the Informed Performance Podcast.

In this episode, Andy and I attempt to unravel the complexities of athlete recovery.

He challenges the traditional “three-phase rehab model” of return to play, and advocates for a more nuance and collaborative approach.

We talk about how important terminology and language are in the rehab process, versus throwing around buzzwords like “strength” or “power.”

And most importantly, we talk about the synergy that needs to occur between PT’s and strength coaches if we want to get athletes back to 100% – and beyond.

This is an awesome episode and one I know you’re going to love – let’s do this!

Nobody owns rehab. At the end stage of rehab, if we’re talking about the athlete getting back to a sustainable level of performance at the highest level we can get them back at, the people that know the most about what that looks and feels like is the athlete and the coach

Three-phase systems don’t work. We’ve got this gravitation that years ago we would refer to things in rehab as early stage, mid stage, and late stage. But if we can more clearly deconstruct a rehab into its constituent parts, then what we’re left with is a system

The common currency that all of us share is exercise. The strength conditioning coach, especially in more advanced exercise stages, they’ve just got a better eye, feel, and understanding, knowledge base, how to coach it, how to program it

Are you tired of using clunky, antiquated program design tools like Microsoft Word or Excel?

Are you ready to level up your programming, and make it far more engaging to your clients and athletes?

If so, you need to check out Train Heroic.

I’ve been using TrainHeroic for years now both here at RTS and at IFAST, and I can tell you the user experience both as an athlete and coach is truly second to none.

To learn more and start your free 14-day trial, just follow this link to learn more about Train Heroic.

Not only will you get your first 14 days free, but it’s just $10/month to get started officially after that.

So don’t wait any longer – head over trainheroic.co/rts and start crafting beautiful programs your clients and athletes will love TODAY!

Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of The Physical Preparation Podcast!

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Podcasts and leave your honest review. I’d also love to connect via Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram or visit our website.

Thanks so much for your support – love and appreciate you!

The post Andy McDonald on Performance Frameworks, Integrated Rehab Cultures, and Return to Play appeared first on Robertson Training Systems.