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In the 100th episode of the Historic Performance Podcast, I chat with Dr. Tony Strudwick. Dr. Strudwick is the Head of Performance at Manchester United Football Club. Dr. Tony Strudwick began his football career as a player with Colchester United, but did not make a first team appearance for the club. He gave up playing and moved into coaching. He previously worked with Coventry City, West Ham United and The Football Association before becoming one of Mark Hughes' first appointments when he took over as manager of Blackburn Rovers in 2004. Dr. Strudwick was at Blackburn for three seasons, before Manchester United approached him as a replacement for their outgoing fitness coach, Valter Di Salvo, in the summer of 2007. In this episode, Dr. Strudwick discusses building a high performance culture, the Manchester United philosophy on athletic development, learning and development, and the future of sports science.

In the 99th episode of the Historic Performance Podcast, I chat with Devan McConnell. Devan is the Head Hockey Sports Performance Coach at University of Massachusetts Lowell. In this role, Devan is responsible for the oversight and development of all aspects of physical develop for the Ice Hockey team, including strength, speed, and power development, energy system development, nutrition, recovery and regeneration, physiological monitoring, sport science, technology integration, as well as coordination of analytics, long term athletic development, and tactical periodization. In this episode, Devan discusses using the concept of tactical periodization for ice hockey, physiological monitoring, and recovery and regeneration.

In the 98th episode of the Historic Performance Podcast, I chat with John Kiely. John is a Senior Lecturer in Elite Performance at the University of Central Lancashire. Prior to taking the academic position, he worked as a power training specialist with Munster Rugby and as the Head of Strength & Conditioning for UK Athletics. In this episode, John discusses neuroplasticity, the role it plays within rehabilitation, and how to restore coordination both during and after return to performance.

In the 97th episode of the Historic Performance Podcast, I chat with Dave Hamilton. Dave is the Assistant Athletic Director for Applied Health & Performance Science at Penn State University. Dave's career has allowed him to coach a mixture of athletic levels, from elite youth athletes to current Olympic, World and Commonwealth medallists. During his time as a physical preparation coach, he has gathered vocational experience working in Qatar, Hong Kong, Canada and the UK. In this episode, Dave discusses his sports science philosophy, narrative communication, Penn State University's high-performance initiative, and the pillars of the high performance structure at Penn State University.

In the 96th episode of the Historic Performance Podcast, I chat with Anthony White. Anthony is the 1st Team Assistant Goalkeeping Coach & Goalkeeper Specific Sport Scientist at AFC Bournemouth. At the moment, Anthony is undertaking a PhD at Leeds Trinity University focusing on understanding and quantifying the physiological demands placed on soccer goalkeepers both in training and during games. In this episode, Anthony discusses integrating sports science with coaching from a goalkeeping perspective, the physiological demands placed on a goalkeeper both during training and games, and specific case studies as to how data can aid with coaching delivery to improve technical deficiencies.  

In the 95th episode of the Historic Performance Podcast, I chat with Alex Natera. Alex is a Senior Strength & Conditioning Coach at Aspire Academy Athletics. Alex has been fortunate enough to ply his trade, and learn his craft, from influences working across the globe in a variety of sports including Premier League Soccer and Championship Level Rugby. As a previous S&C coach for both the English Institute of Sport and the South Australian Sport Institute, Alex’s extensive work with sprint cycling, modern pentathlon and sprint canoe-kayak broadened his skill set and expertise in the physical preparation of high performance athletes. In this episode, Alex discusses the Aspire Academy youth development model, the deficiencies of just using traditional strength & power training with more advanced athletes, programming eccentric & high intensity isometric training, and the minimal effective dose needed to maintain eccentric adaptations.

In the 94th episode of the Historic Performance Podcast, I chat with Mike Cantrell. Mike is a performance consultant for Applied Integration Consulting & a faculty member for the Postural Restoration Institute (PRI). Mike was a member of the 2006 Postural Restoration class thus earning the designation of Postural Restoration Certified (PRC). He has published several white papers regarding PRI information in an effort to help others more easily understand difficult concepts. He began formally teaching for PRI in 2006 and currently teaches Myokinematic Restoration, Postural Respiration, Impingement and Instability, Advanced Integration, and Cervical Revolution. In this episode, Mike Cantrell discusses the science behind PRI, why asymmetries exist in the human body, compensation patterns, and how to integrate PRI into performance.

In the 93rd episode of the Historic Performance Podcast, I chat with Brett Uttley. Brett is the 1st Assistant Coach for Rio Grande Valley Toros Football Club of the United Soccer League. Rio Grande are the 2nd team of the Houston Dynamo in Major League Soccer. Brett holds a MBP Master in High Performance Soccer (Barcelona, Spain) in addition to a MSc in Soccer Coaching via Ohio University. He has the NSCAA Advanced National Diploma and is currently in the process of obtaining additional USSF licenses as well as working towards his ATFA (Argentinean Professional Soccer Coach Association) “A” Professional License. In this episode, Brett Uttley discusses tactical periodization, player monitoring, and developing a weekly soccer microcycle.

In the 92nd episode of the Historic Performance Podcast, I chat with Dr. Mark Russell. Dr. Russell is a Reader in Performance Nutrition & Applied Exercise Physiology at Leeds Trinity University. Dr. Russell's areas of teaching expertise focuses around applied exercise physiology, sports nutrition, and strength and conditioning. His current research interests focus primarily on the physiology of intermittent exercise and interventions to promote improvements in performance in team-sports athletes. In this episode, Dr. Russell discusses nutritional ergogenic aids, physiological responses to carbohydrate ingestion in soccer players, and half-time strategies to enhance second-half performance in team sports.

In the 91st episode of the Historic Performance Podcast, I chat with Sam Blanchard. Sam is the Academy Clinical Lead Physiotherapist for the Scottish Rugby Union. Sam has a keen professional interest in the clinical reasoning behind rehabilitation and the variables that contribute towards effective program design. He has worked across several professional sports including football (Brighton & Hove Albion FC), hockey (Buffalo Sabres) and rugby union (Scottish Rugby Union). In this episode, Sam discusses his multi-faceted theoretical rehabilitation model, non-linear pedagogy, and sensorimotor function progressions in rehabilitation.

In the 90th episode of the Historic Performance Podcast, I chat with Dr. Scott Robinson. Dr. Robinson is an Exercise Physiologist and Performance Nutritionist at Guru Performance. Dr. Robinson holds a Doctorate in Exercise Metabolism from the University of Birmingham. He is a registered Sport and Exercise Nutritionist (UK SENr High Performance), a Certified Sports Nutritionist (CISSN) and a Certified Anthropometrist (ISAK). In this episode, Dr. Robinson discusses fat metabolism, high performance nutrition, sport supplements, and thoughts regarding training with a reduced carbohydrate availability for intermittent sport athletes.

In the 89th episode of the Historic Performance Podcast, I chat with Chris Korfist. Chris is the Director of Education at Reflexive Performance Reset and an Illinois based track & field coach. During the last 22 years, Chris Korfist has coached track & field in Illinois. He has coached at Hinsdale Central, Downers Grove North and York HS, producing 59 All-state track athletes, 3 individual state champions, 2 team state champions, 3 second place team finishes, and 2 3rd place finishes. In this episode, Chris discusses reflexive performance reset, overspeed training, and skill acquisition.

In the 88th episode of the Historic Performance Podcast, I chat with Adam Mattiussi. Adam is the Strength & Conditioning Coach for the Royal Ballet Company & Royal Ballet School. Prior to the Royal Ballet Company, Adam worked in both rugby and rowing. He began his studies at St Mary's University in 2010 where he obtained a Bachelor's Degree in Strength and Conditioning Science. Following the completion of his bachelor's degree, he obtained a post Graduate Degree in Sports Rehabilitation in 2014 from St. Mary's while simultaneously working as a Graduate Assistant at St Mary's University. In this episode, Adam discusses a day in the life of a ballet soloist at the Royal Ballet Company, utilizing blood flow restriction during early stage rehabilitation, and physical preparation for performance dance.

In the 87th episode of the Historic Performance Podcast, I chat with Cody Roberts. Cody is an Assistant Strength & Conditioning Coach at the University of Iowa. There he coordinates the strength & conditioning programs for Rowing, Softball, Men's & Women's Cross Country, Track & Field Throwers and Middle Distance. In this episode, Cody discusses isoinertial training, middle distance running energetics, and utilizing the Exxentric Kbox as a return to performance tool.

In the 86th episode of the Historic Performance Podcast, I chat with Scott Salwasser. Scott is the Director of Speed & Power Development at Texas Tech University, where he exclusively works with the football program. Previously he has been on the strength and conditioning staffs at UC Berkeley, Sparta Performance Science, University of Louisiana-Lafayette, Sacramento State and the Oakland Raiders. He competed nationally in Weightlifting as a graduate student at Sacramento State, and played intercollegiate Football as an undergraduate at UC Davis. In this episode, Scott discusses force-velocity profiling, individualizing sprint & jump programming, and preparing athletes for the Texas Tech 2017 Pro Day.

In the 85th episode of the Historic Performance Podcast, I chat with Matt Siniscalchi. Matt is the Head Strength & Conditioning Coach at the Philadelphia Union. Prior to joining the Philadelphia Union 1st team, Matt worked closely with Bill Knowles of HP Sports, implementing reconditioning and performance programs for professional and world-class athletes while simultaneously working at the YSC Academy and all six of the Philadelphia Union Academy teams. In this episode, Matt talks about the importance of athletic development for youth soccer players, the 4 athletic development pillars at the Philadelphia Union Academy, and why he is a proponent of gymnastics.

In the 84th episode of the Historic Performance Podcast, I chat with Pat Byrne. Pat is a world-renowned sleep & fatigue consultant having worked with teams in the NHL, NBA, NRL, MLS, AFL, and many other leagues around the world. In this episode, Pat talks about the validity of consumer grade sleep wearables, the three primary areas that may impact an athlete's sleep, and the legalities of collecting sleep data with professional athletes.

In the 83rd episode of the Historic Performance Podcast, I chat with Joseph Aratari. Joseph is the Head of Strength & Conditioning at Penfield High School and the New York State Director for the National High School Strength Coaches Association. In this episode, Joseph talks about building a high school strength & conditioning culture, his role as the NHSSCA New York State Director, and how he sees high school strength & conditioning growing in the Northeast.

In the 82nd episode of the Historic Performance Podcast, I chat with Rhys Carr. Rhys is the Head of Fitness & Conditioning at Bristol City Football Club. Outside of his position at Bristol City, Rhys is currently a PhD Candidate at the University of Wales researching transfer of training methods and periodization to technical and physical output in match performance in professional football. He currently holds a master's degree in Sports Coaching Science from the University of Wales, Newport and a UEFA "A" License. Prior to joining Bristol, he was the Lead Academy Sport Scientist at Cardiff City Football Club. In this episode, Rhys talks about tactical periodization models, post-match recovery, and player monitoring.

In the 81st episode of the Historic Performance Podcast, I chat with Jared Siegmund. Jared is a Strength & Conditioning Coach at Inspired Athletx. Prior to taking the position at Inspired Athletx, Jared was the Head USA Women's 7s National Team Strength & Conditioning Coach based out of Chula Vista, California. During his nearly 5 years in the role, he designed, developed, and implemented all the strength & conditioning programming for the U.S. women's rugby team during the lead up to the 2016 Olympics. In this episode, Jared talks about planning an Olympic quad, the development of women's rugby in the United States, annual planning, and recovery methods.