Synapse Performance Podcast

In this episode, David is joined by Dr. Dan Cleather.

Dr. Cleather is the program director of the MSc. in strength and conditioning at St. Mary's University, Twickenham. He has formal training mathematics and is an experienced S&C coach and academic.

David & Dan discuss the concepts of force & mechanics as it relates to S&C. 

Dan highlights misunderstandings of the force-vector theory and the force-velocity relationship. 

For full show notes see: www.synapseperformance.ie/episode84

In this episode, David is joined by Helen Collins of Dundee University.

Helen is an experienced strength and conditioning coach, sports scientist and lecturer. 

Helen is currently completing her PhD. at Dundee which focuses on resistance training interventions for children who are overweight or obese. 

In this episode, David and Helen discuss the role resistance training may play in tackling obesity, challenges in coaching strength training in children and what a wide-scale role out of a resistance training program would look like.

Full show-notes available at: www.synapseperformance.ie/podcasts/episode83

In this episode David is once again joined by Dr. Cody Haun.

Cody is an assistant professor in exercise science at Le Grange College. Cody is also an experienced strength and conditioning coach and works with stronger by science and Aplyft. 

In this episode, David & Cody discuss the theory of myofibrillar and sarcoplasmic muscle hypertrophy. Cody discusses the finding of his research and implication it may have for interpreting muscle hypertrophy research. Cody also talks about ideas of how different types of training may impact what type of muscle hypertrophy occurs and whether increased muscle hypertrophy influences increases is muscle strength?

Full shownotes can be found at www.synapseperformance.ie/podcasts/episode82 

In this episode, David is joined by Dr. Franco Impellizzeri. 

Franco is a Professor of Sport and Exercise Science and Medicine in the University of Technology in Sydney, Australia. 

After a decade in medicine based research, Franco has returned to sports science full-time and is concerned with the standard of research and dogmas he has seen since returning to the field. 

In this episode, Franco specifically argues using the acute:chronic workload ration to predict or prevent injury. Franco also discusses why the use of the worst case scenario or idea of tactical periodisation may not be efficacious. 

In this episode, David is joined by Robbie Bourke.

Robbie is a highly experienced strength & conditioning coach, physical therapist, nutritionist, and educator with over 10 years within the profession. He has worked and interned with some top organizations such as Mike Boyle Strength & Conditioning, Dublin GAA, Elite Fitness & Performance Academy, and Altis. Robbie has an unrelenting passion for studying and applying everything to do with human performance and coaching.

In this episode, David & Robbie discuss the current climate of strength and conditioning, the value of interning, and the importance of continual professional development. 

Full show-notes: www.synapseperformance.ie/podcasts/episode80

In this episode, David is joined by Dr. Gary Mendoza.

Gary’s background is in personal training. He graduated with a first class honours degree in Applied Human Nutrition from the University of Wales and then moved into training personal trainers and coaches and developed a successful nutrition and weight management course, including assessment of behavioural readiness.

This course formed the basis of his doctoral research which he was awarded a PhD for in 2006. His research included specialisation in the multi-dimensional treatment of overweight and obese males.

Gary’s other area of expertise is sports nutrition. He was previously programme leader for both sports nutrition and advanced sports nutrition at Massey University in New Zealand and trained with Sports Dietitians Australia (SDA).

He lectures in nutrition for sport and exercise at Bath Spa and Cardiff Metropolitan Universities and is an Academic Associate member of the SENr. Gary is also co-director of ‘The Nutrition Academy Ltd’ and delivers the applied nutrition and supplementation course (AfN certified) well as their behaviour change workshop, which has more recently been enhanced by the addition of motivational interviewing (MI).

As an academic practitioner with a wealth of experience, Gary is passionate about raising the standards of nutrition and behavioural change education in the health and fitness industry. He wants the industry to move to a more evidence-based style of behaviour change and nutrition education. 

Full show-notes at: www.synapseperformance.ie/podcasts/episode79

In this episode, David is joined by Steve Thompson. Steve is a lecturer at Sheffield Hallam University, where he is pursuing a PhD. 

Steve is currently an integral member of a working strength and conditioning group within Sheffield Hallam, providing support for a number of different athletes and teams. Steve has recently helped three GB Divers achieve Commonwealth Bronze medals and British championships as well as a Bronze in the Diving Grand Prix in Italy. Steve has coached the semi-professional rugby league team Sheffield Eagles and GB table tennis players.

Steve provided elite strength and conditioning to the Great British Olympic Women's Volleyball team in lead up to the 2012 Olympics. Steve was heavily involved in the planning, testing, monitoring and training of the athletes as well as providing S&C support to a Paralympic wheelchair fencer, providing a completely new and interesting set of challenges.

In this episode, David and Steve discuss in detail current best practices and future research directions of velocity based training. 

In this episode, David is joined by Fergus Connolly, PhD. 

Dr. Fergus Connolly is one of the world’s foremost human potential thought leaders and influencers. Author of the bestselling book "Game Changer - The Art of Sports Science" Fergus has applied performance science with leading sports, military, and business teams. He is the only coach to have full times roles in every major sport, including soccer (Liverpool, Bolton Wanderers), professional and college football (San Francisco 49s and University of Michigan), rugby (Welsh national team) and elite military units.

David and Fergus discuss some insightful concepts and issues in the world of athletic development and sports science. 

Full shownotes: www.synapseperformance.ie/podcasts/episode77

In this episode, David is once again joined by Dr. Eric Helms. 

Eric is a coach, athlete, author, and educator. A trainer since the early 2000’s, he’s worked in the US Air force, commercial gyms, private training studios, medical fitness and strength and conditioning facilities. As a part of 3DMJ he coaches drug-free strength and physique competitors at all levels. Eric has competed since the mid 2000’s in natural bodybuilding, unequipped powerlifting and dabbled in Olympic lifting. He earned pro status as a natural bodybuilder with the PNBA in 2011 and competes with the IPF at international level events as an unequipped powerlifter.

Eric has published multiple peer-reviewed articles in exercise science and nutrition journals and writes for commercial fitness publications. He’s taught undergraduate and graduate level nutrition and exercise science and speaks internationally at academic and commercial conferences for fitness, nutrition and strength and conditioning. He has a BS in fitness and wellness, an MS in exercise science, a second masters in sports nutrition, a PhD in strength and conditioning, and is a research fellow for AUT at the Sports Performance Research Institute New Zealand.

In this episode, David & Eric discuss the lessons Eric has learned in the past 14 years, how his motivations have changed over this time, how in an alternate reality Eric would be a hip-hop superstar, or an FBI agent and then round off with a discussion around the topic of auditing our thinking as evidence-based practitioners. 

In this episode, David is joined by Lee Bell. 

Lee is an MSc qualified consultant lecturer, speaker and content writer, published in some of the most respected online platforms in the world. He’s currently pursuing a PhD looking at the link between overreaching/overtraining and strength sports.

He is a published academic and professional writer and has delivered talks at a number of conferences including the COPA Growth medical conference in London. Lee is also involved in primary sport science research with other sport scientists across a number of institutions.

Lee has lectured to hundreds of sport science students, personal trainers and coaches in his career so far.

He has been master trainer at two global equipment suppliers and involved on a number of steering groups aimed at improving the way that fitness education is delivered in the UK.

David & Lee discuss the research of overtraining and how to monitor & prevent overtraining in our athletes. Lee also gives us an insight into the realities of being a professional fitness writer. 

Show notes at: www.synapseperformance.ie/episode75