Synapse Performance Podcast

Dr. Neil Welch completed his undergraduate degree in Sports Science and Physiology BSc (Hons) at the University of Leeds, specialising in his final year in Biomechanics. He then undertook his MSc in Strength and Conditioning at the University of Bolton alongside Strength and Conditioning roles within Winter sports including national Alpine skiing programmes and then international snowboard cross. Further roles with multiple sports with Locker27 and in gait analysis in London followed before his move to the Sports Surgery Clinic in 2013. He completed his PhD on the role of strength and explosive strength in rehabilitation and performance with Dublin City University in 2019. He has a special interest in this regard in the Biomechanics of cutting.

He is the head of knee services within the SSC overseeing the flagship ACL review service.

In this episode Neil discusses:

- What is agility?

- How do we train to improve agility?

- How do we periodise agility and speed training?

- How important is training deceleration?

- How can we improve deceleration ability?

Neil's researchgate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Neil_Welch

Neil's Instragram: https://www.instagram.com/agilitycoach/

Neil's twitter: https://twitter.com/nwconditioning

In this episode, David is joined by performance analyst, Brian Fitzpatrick.

Brian Fitzpatrick’s expertise derives from over a decade of working many teams across a variety of sports and levels in Ireland and the United Kingdom.

Brian has always been passionate about sport and whilst studying a Sports Science Degree in University, he completed his dissertation with the Welsh Rugby Union in 2014. This investigated the intervals between high intensity activities in tier 1 rugby internationals which led him to take an internship in Ireland working closely with many of Ireland’s biggest teams, including the Dublin Senior Hurlers.

Brian then accepted a role with the London Irish Rugby Club as the Academy Analyst. During this time, Brian was part of the U18 premiership winning support staff in his first season, before being promoted to Academy Analyst and Administrator.

The pair discuss:

- What is performance analysis and how has it's role changed over the years

- How to effectively integrate performance analysis into coaching and with other streams of sports science

- How organisational structure can massively impact the effectiveness of data flow and efficiency in a team

In this episode of the Synapse Performance podcast, David is joined by Broderick Chavez.

Bio from Broderick's website:

"Broderick Chavez is the Evil Genius. He’s a renowned trainer based in the US and has trained champions, Olympians and IFBB Pros as well as hundreds of other athletes.  He is a sports performance expert, biologist, chemist, coffee connoisseur and an insomniac.

Not only has Broderick worked in Sports Performance field 30 years, he’s competed at a national level in bodybuilding, powerlifting and strongman.

He’s a critical thinker, lifter, speaker and thought provoker.

Broderick is uncensored and controversial. Rather than trying to prove to you or anyone else that he is the singular outlet for truth, he hopes to stimulate thought, experiment and dialogue that will bring us all closer to the truth."

In this episode, David and Broderick discuss performance enhancing drugs, the thought processes Broderick goes through when designing PED programs for his clients, and the methods used to avoid detection of drugs in tested sports. 

In this episode, David is joined by the current director of the UKSCA, Rich Clarke. 

Rich is an Accredited Strength and Conditioning Coach having previously worked with Gloucester Rugby Club and The Bristol Academy of Sport before transitioning into teaching in higher education in 2013. He has led programmes at both undergraduate and postgraduate level before joining Birmingham City University to lead the Sport and Exercise Science Degree in 2019.

He is currently studying for his PhD part time looking at performance and injury during agility manoeuvres. He continues to actively coach with the girls FA talent pathway and within other private environments.

Full show notes available at: www.synapseperformance.ie/podcasts/episode121

In this episode, David is joined by strength and conditioning coach Keir Wenham-Flatt. 

Keir has worked with leading professional teams all around the world, predominantly in rugby. 

Keir is an outspoken individual who highlights the reality of working in professional sport and has recently left professional sports coaching to pursue full-time his businesses, Rugby Strength Coach & Strength Coach Network.

In this episode, David & Keir discuss the realities of working in professional sport, Keir's criticisms of the UKSCA, gaps in coach education and how S&C coaches can be more influential.

In this episode, David is joined by Dr. Tom Maden-Wilkinson.

Tom is an established researcher in Neuromuscular Physiology. He completed his PhD at Manchester Metropolitan University examining the age related changes in skeletal muscle as part of the EU-funded myoage project.

Upon completion in 2013, Tom moved to Loughborough University as a teaching fellow in Exercise Physiology, contributing to teaching across the undergraduate and postgraduate sports and exercise science programmes.

During his time at Loughborough, Tom conducted research as part of the NCSEM and the Centre for Sport, Exercise and Osteoarthritis as funded by Arthritis Research UK.

He  joined the Academy for Sport and Physical Activity at Sheffield Hallam University in January 2017 as a Lecturer in Sports and Exercise Science, with his teaching focus in Exercise Physiology. In addition, Tom is an associate researcher of the Centre for Sports Engineering Research.

Full show-notes available at:

www.synapseperformance.ie/podcasts/episode119

Strength coach and PhD researcher, Arthur Lynch joins David on this weeks episode.

This episode follows a slightly different format from the standard interview style show. 

Arthur and David discuss a recent paper reviewing methods of monitoring and regulating resistance training.

Then the pair discuss their respective thought processes they undergo when designing a strength and conditioning program for athletes. 

Full show-notes available at: www.synapseperformance.ie/podcasts/episode118

In this episode, David is joined by performance nutritionist, Kate McDaid. 

Kate studied Food Science at the University of College Dublin before following her ambition and moving to the UK to complete an MSc in Sports and Exercise Nutrition at Loughborough University. She landed a position in a nutrition consultancy over there quickly progressing to Senior Health and Performance Nutritionist where she started to build an extensive portfolio working with professional sports teams, elite sporting scholars, corporate clients, charity organisations, weight-loss and health seeking individuals. She took this experience back to Ireland with her in 2017 and founded NutriKate, a high performance nutrition consultancy that is based in Dublin.

Link to Kate's website: https://nutrikate.com/

Link to Kate's instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nutrikate_com

In this episode, David and head of nutrition at Synapse Performance Mark Germaine sit down and discuss all elements of how to set up a successful off-season as a GAA athlete.

The pair discuss all aspects of the off-season from nutrition, S&C and recovery.

In this weeks episode, David is joined by the winner of the first Crossfit Games, and founder of OPEX Fitness, James Fitzgerald.

OPEX Founder and industry-leading educator, James FitzGerald, has dedicated his life to bringing honor to the coaching profession. OPEX Coaching Education and Gyms Licensing Programs provide coaches with the tools needed to professionalize their passion. The OPEX Coaching Certificate Program reflects his 25 plus years of coaching expertise and is set apart by providing comprehensive coaching theory as well as practical application of its principles. OPEX continues to educate thousands of coaches around the world each year through a dynamic digital platform and live courses.

In this episode, David and James discuss:

Differentiating Training For Elite Performance Versus Health Autonomy In Fitness Periodization In Crossfit Functional Fitness As An Olympic Sport

Link to OPEX Fitness: https://opexfit.com/