The Physical Performance Show

In episode 371 of the Physical Performance Show, Charlie Clements, a first contact physiotherapist and specialist in musculoskeletal care based in the UK shares his expertise on the topic of sciatica, particularly as it affects athletes, discussing the prevalence, causes, and different types of leg pain associated with the condition. Charlie explains the role of disc injuries, inflammation, and nerve root irritation, and provides practical advice on when imaging and interventions like nerve root blocks may be appropriate. Charlie emphasises the importance of patience, staying active through alternative forms of exercise, and seeking qualified healthcare support when needed. This episode also offers guidance for clinicians on managing sciatica and highlights the value of reassurance and a holistic approach to care.  Show Sponsor: POGO Physio Telehealth Consultations believe that everyone deserves access to complete and remarkable physiotherapy services. Our goal is to get you back to your Physical Best.  Find out more about Telehealth Consultations and book online. Follow @Brad_Beer Instagram & Twitter Huw Darnell — Exercise Physiologist & Performance Coach Helping athletes move from pain and injury to peak performance. Learn more at huwdarnell.com.au and follow on Instagram @huwdarnell. The Physical Performance Show: Facebook, Instagram, & Twitter (@tppshow1) Please direct any questions, comments, and feedback to the above social media handles.

In episode 370 of The Physical Performance Show, Dr. Jen Hamer—researcher, consultant, and former elite athlete—delivers a powerful exploration of physique considerations, body image, and the risks of low energy availability in sport. Drawing from her own journey as a high-performing endurance runner who battled an eating disorder, Dr. Hamer shares both personal and professional insights into the complex interplay between athletic culture, health, and performance. This episode delves into Dr. Hamer’s PhD research on supporting coaches to manage the risks of relative energy deficiency in sport (RED-S) among developing athletes. She discusses the challenges of shifting deeply ingrained beliefs and behaviours in sports environments, the impact of coach and practitioner language on athlete well-being, and the importance of systemic education that goes beyond awareness to drive real change. You will hear practical examples from Dr. Hamer’s work with national sports organizations, including Swimming Australia and Triathlon Australia, and learn actionable strategies for coaches, parents, and practitioners.  Show Sponsor: POGO Physio Telehealth Consultations believe that everyone deserves access to complete and remarkable physiotherapy services. Our goal is to get you back to your Physical Best.  Find out more about Telehealth Consultations and book online. Follow @Brad_Beer Instagram & Twitter Huw Darnell — Exercise Physiologist & Performance Coach Helping athletes move from pain and injury to peak performance. Learn more at huwdarnell.com.au and follow on Instagram @huwdarnell. The Physical Performance Show: Facebook, Instagram, & Twitter (@tppshow1) Please direct any questions, comments, and feedback to the above social media handles.

In episode 369 of The Physical Performance Show, sports physiotherapist Victor Popov shares insights from his four-decade career working with elite athletes across Olympic Games, Tour de France cycling, AFL premiership teams, and international swimming. He recounts his journey from early days in Sydney’s top sports medicine clinics to supporting champions like Robbie McEwen, Susie O’Neill, and Shane Watson, emphasising the value of multidisciplinary collaboration and continuous learning. This episode delves into the critical role of the nervous system in athletic performance, with Victor Popov explaining how heart rate variability, sleep, nutrition, and even ice baths can be used to assess and optimise recovery and resilience. He introduces his Neural Engagement Therapy and Training (NET) program, designed to help clinicians and athletes better understand and improve nervous system function. Victor Popov also offers practical advice for both aspiring professionals and athletes, highlighting the importance of self-belief, teamwork, and the ability to train consistently without injury.  Special High Performance Seminar Event with Victor Popov on 30th August - register here.   Show Sponsor: POGO Physio Telehealth Consultations believe that everyone deserves access to complete and remarkable physiotherapy services. Our goal is to get you back to your Physical Best.  Find out more about Telehealth Consultations and book online. Follow @Brad_Beer Instagram & Twitter Huw Darnell — Exercise Physiologist & Performance Coach Helping athletes move from pain and injury to peak performance. Learn more at huwdarnell.com.au and follow on Instagram @huwdarnell. The Physical Performance Show: Facebook, Instagram, & Twitter (@tppshow1) Please direct any questions, comments, and feedback to the above social media handles.

In episode 368 of The Physical Performance Show, the podcast enters a new era as accredited exercise physiologist Huw Darnell joins as co-host alongside Brad Beer. With over a decade of experience in the endurance sports industry, Huw brings a fresh perspective to the show, sharing his journey from a sport-obsessed youth through injury setbacks to becoming a leading strength and conditioning coach for runners and triathletes. This episode explores Huw’s personal and professional evolution, including the pivotal injuries that shaped his approach to athlete rehabilitation and performance. Huw and Brad discuss the importance of psychological support for injured athletes, the barriers endurance athletes face in adopting strength and conditioning, and practical strategies for integrating effective training into busy schedules. Listeners are introduced to a new show format, Uncovering Injuries, which will feature deep dives into common endurance sports injuries from both physiotherapy and exercise physiology perspectives. The episode is rich with actionable advice, including Huw’s “four pillars of performance”—movement, recovery, mindset, and nutrition—and a weekly physical challenge encouraging barefoot training to build foot strength. Learn more at huwdarnell.com.au Follow Huw on Instagram: @huwdarnell   Show Sponsor: POGO Physio Telehealth Consultations believe that everyone deserves access to complete and remarkable physiotherapy services. Our goal is to get you back to your Physical Best.  Find out more about Telehealth Consultations and book online. Follow @Brad_Beer Instagram & Twitter Huw Darnell — Exercise Physiologist & Performance Coach Helping athletes move from pain and injury to peak performance. Learn more at huwdarnell.com.au and follow on Instagram @huwdarnell. The Physical Performance Show: Facebook, Instagram, & Twitter (@tppshow1) Please direct any questions, comments, and feedback to the above social media handles.

In episode 367 of The Physical Performance Show, sports physiotherapist Sue Mayes shares her expertise in foot and ankle injury management. With over 30 years of experience leading physiotherapy at the Australian Ballet and now a senior lecturer at La Trobe University, Sue provides groundbreaking insights into injury prevention and rehabilitation. Sue discusses her innovative research on ballet dancers and athletes, highlighting the importance of calf strength, strategic exercise implementation, and challenging traditional approaches to stretching. She reveals how implementing targeted calf raises reduced injury rates in professional dancers, and explains why prolonged stretching can be counterproductive. This episode offers a masterclass in foot and ankle assessment. Her practical advice spans from managing bone stress injuries to developing comprehensive rehabilitation strategies that support athletes' long-term performance and recovery.   Show Sponsor: POGO Physio Telehealth Consultations believe that everyone deserves access to complete and remarkable physiotherapy services. Our goal is to get you back to your Physical Best.  Find out more about Telehealth Consultations and book online. Follow @Brad_Beer Instagram & Twitter The Physical Performance Show: Facebook, Instagram, & Twitter (@tppshow1) Please direct any questions, comments, and feedback to the above social media handles.

In this episode, Olympic triathlete Hayden Wilde shares a powerful 2025 update. Just days after running a blistering 27:38 10K in Tokyo — one of the fastest ever by a triathlete — Hayden was involved in a high-speed cycling crash that left him with a fractured scapula, five broken ribs, and a punctured lung. Hayden shares the emotional and physical rollercoaster of his injury, including emergency support from his sponsors, a medical evacuation, and career-saving surgery in Belgium. Now deep in rehab, he opens up about the mindset, team effort, and small wins guiding his return to racing. This is a must-listen for anyone interested in elite performance, resilience, and the real journey behind recovery at the highest level. Show Sponsor: POGO Physio Telehealth Consultations believe that everyone deserves access to complete and remarkable physiotherapy services. Our goal is to get you back to your Physical Best. Find out more about Telehealth Consultations and book online. Follow @Brad_Beer Instagram & Twitter The Physical Performance Show: Facebook, Instagram, & Twitter (@tppshow1) Please direct any questions, comments, and feedback to the above social media handles.

In this episode we welcome back renowned tendinopathy expert, Professor Peter Malliaras, for a 2025 Tendinopathy Rehabilitation Update.  As a leading physiotherapist, researcher, and director at Monash University’s Musculoskeletal Research Unit, Peter shares the latest advancements in managing and rehabilitating tendon injuries. Peter continues to provide cutting-edge insights into evidence-based treatments for persistent tendon symptoms. Whether you're an athlete dealing with tendinopathy or a practitioner looking to refine your approach, this episode is packed with valuable takeaways to help you stay at the forefront of tendon rehabilitation. Show Sponsor: POGO Physio Telehealth Consultations believe that everyone deserves access to complete and remarkable physiotherapy services. Our goal is to get you back to your Physical Best.  Find out more about Telehealth Consultations and book online. Follow @Brad_Beer Instagram & Twitter The Physical Performance Show: Facebook, Instagram, & Twitter (@tppshow1) Please direct any questions, comments, and feedback to the above social media handles.

In this episode we’re syndicating a conversation originally recorded for the Physio Network podcast with Dr Rich Willy and host Sarah Yule. We delve into the art and science of injury prevention and recovery for runners. With a focus on mastering running injuries, this conversation is packed with actionable insights tailored for endurance athletes. Dr Rich Willy, Associate Professor at the University of Montana and Director of the Montana Running Lab shares his expertise on managing persistent running injuries, the critical role of education and load management in treatment, and the impact of footwear—including clinical insights on "super shoes." We also explore the challenges of Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S) and effective strategies for managing bone stress injuries in runners. Show Sponsor: POGO Physio Telehealth Consultations believe that everyone deserves access to complete and remarkable physiotherapy services. Our goal is to get you back to your Physical Best.  Find out more about Telehealth Consultations and book online. Follow @Brad_Beer Instagram & Twitter The Physical Performance Show: Facebook, Instagram, & Twitter (@tppshow1) Please direct any questions, comments, and feedback to the above social media handles.

Alec Mackenzie is a PhD scholar with Griffith University, the Queensland Academy of Sport, and Swimming Australia. Alec dives into the prevention of shoulder injuries in swimmers, sharing insights from his ground-breaking research. His recent systematic review, "Identifying Evidence-Practice Gaps for Shoulder Injury Risk Factors in Competitive Swimmers," has made waves in the sports medicine world by bridging literature and expert opinion to better manage swimmer’s shoulder. In this episode Alec unpacks the top three statistically significant factors contributing to shoulder pain in swimmers, offering invaluable advice for athletes, coaches, and triathletes. Show Sponsor: POGO Physio Telehealth Consultations believe that everyone deserves access to complete and remarkable physiotherapy services. Our goal is to get you back to your Physical Best.  Find out more about Telehealth Consultations and book online. Follow @Brad_Beer Instagram & Twitter The Physical Performance Show: Facebook, Instagram, & Twitter (@tppshow1) Please direct any questions, comments, and feedback to the above social media handles.

Dr Kieran Richardson is a specialist musculoskeletal physiotherapist who advocates for physiotherapy rehabilitation to address ACL injuries. He completed the rigorous two-year specialist training program conferred by the Australian College of Physiotherapists in 2016. With a research-based, individualised approach, Kieran aims to achieve significant long-term outcomes. He has a keen interest in non-surgical ACL management, running national workshops and lectures on the subject. As the Director of Global Specialist Physio, Kieran shares his expertise online. In this episode, we delve into the conservative management of ACL injuries, the what, why, and how of non-surgical ACL injury management. Show Sponsor: POGO Physio Telehealth Consultations believe that everyone deserves access to complete and remarkable physiotherapy services. Our goal is to get you back to your Physical Best.  Find out more about Telehealth Consultations and book online. Follow @Brad_Beer Instagram & Twitter The Physical Performance Show: Facebook, Instagram, & Twitter (@tppshow1) Please direct any questions, comments, and feedback to the above social media handles.

David Butler has been a pivotal Physiotherapist figure in the field of pain management since the mid-1980s, with a career spanning clinical practice, research, and education. As the director of the Neuro Orthopedic Institute (NOI), David leads numerous biopsychosocially-based seminars worldwide, educating both practitioners and patients about pain. In this episode, David delves into the intricacies of pain, discussing its mechanisms, significance, and impact on our health and well-being. Show Sponsor: POGO Physio Telehealth Consultations believe that everyone deserves access to complete and remarkable physiotherapy services. Our goal is to get you back to your Physical Best.  Find out more about Telehealth Consultations and book online. Follow @Brad_Beer Instagram & Twitter The Physical Performance Show: Facebook, Instagram, & Twitter (@tppshow1) Please direct any questions, comments, and feedback to the above social media handles.

Dr Alison Grimaldi, Principal Physiotherapist at PhysioTec in Brisbane, Australia, adjunct Senior Research Fellow at the University of Queensland with over 30 years of professional clinical experience joins us to explore diagnosis assessment and management of the tricky musculoskeletal condition that can affect many endurance athletes, gluteal tendinopathy. Gluteal tendinopathy is pain on the outside and lateral aspect of the hip. Dr Grimaldi is one of the world's preeminent experts when it comes to the rehabilitation of hip related injuries. Show Sponsor: POGO Physio Telehealth Consultations believe that everyone deserves access to complete and remarkable physiotherapy services. Our goal is to get you back to your Physical Best.  Find out more about telehealth consultations and book online. Join the The Physical Performance Show LEARNINGS membership through weekly podcasts | Patreon If you enjoyed this episode of The Physical Performance Show please hit SUBSCRIBE for to ensure you are one of the first to future episodes. Jump over to The Physical Performance Show for more details. Follow @Brad_Beer Instagram & Twitter The Physical Performance Show: Facebook, Instagram, & Twitter (@tppshow1) Please direct any questions, comments, and feedback to the above social media handles.

Dane Baker works with elite athletes and active people helping to resolve low energy availability and Red-S or relative energy deficiency in sport. He studied Nutrition at the University of Otago graduating in 2003 and now works at the University as a Professional Fellow and Lecturer. Dane consults out of the AXIS Sports Medicine Clinic and when he's not there, he's educating New Zealand's elite coaches as the Lead Nutrition provider for High Performance Sport New Zealand. After nearly 20 years in sports nutrition, Dane’s developed a depth of experience and expertise that comes through in everything that he does. In this episode Dane shares information around how an athlete can get themselves out of a state of low energy availability, it's the how, what and why of overcoming low energy availability or relative energy deficiency in sport. Show Sponsor: POGO Physio Telehealth Consultations believe that everyone deserves access to complete and remarkable physiotherapy services. Our goal is to get you back to your Physical Best.  Find out more about telehealth consultations and book online. Join the The Physical Performance Show LEARNINGS membership through weekly podcasts | Patreon If you enjoyed this episode of The Physical Performance Show please hit SUBSCRIBE for to ensure you are one of the first to future episodes. Jump over to The Physical Performance Show for more details. Follow @Brad_Beer Instagram & Twitter The Physical Performance Show: Facebook, Instagram, & Twitter (@tppshow1) Please direct any questions, comments, and feedback to the above social media handles.

“TRIGGER WARNING” This is a deep conversation - if you need mental health support please seek help Distance runner and former Featured Performer guest of The Physical Performance Show Zane Robertson has been banned from all sport for 8 years following a positive test for Erythropoietin (EPO) and providing false documentation in his defence. Zane was tested at the UK’s Great Manchester Run in May 2022. His sample returned a positive result for EPO, which was later confirmed through B-sample testing. An additional charge of Tampering with Doping Control was added when documents submitted by Mr Robertson in his defence were found to be fraudulent. Show host @brad_beer sat down to learn more about the situation. Please visit physicalperformanceshow.com  @physicalperformanceshow Instagram

In early 2022 Sam finished a very credible 8th place at the Ironman World Championships held in St. George. By year's end, Sam came out and did what many thought was almost impossible, he took it to the Norwegian train of Kristian Blummenfelt current Olympic Triathlon Champion and Gustav Iden, both dominant Norwegian triathletes in the long course space, Sam picked up a silver medal at the Kona 2022 Ironman World Triathlon championships, and along the way obliterated the bike course record. It was a stunning performance, one that I rate as one of the greatest I've seen in my 30 years in endurance sport. Show Sponsor: POGO Physio Telehealth Consultations believe that everyone deserves access to complete and remarkable physiotherapy services. Our goal is to get you back to your Physical Best.  Find out more about telehealth consultations and book online. Join the The Physical Performance Show LEARNINGS membership through weekly podcasts | Patreon If you enjoyed this episode of The Physical Performance Show please hit SUBSCRIBE for to ensure you are one of the first to future episodes. Jump over to The Physical Performance Show for more details. Follow @Brad_Beer Instagram & Twitter The Physical Performance Show: Facebook, Instagram, & Twitter (@tppshow1) Please direct any questions, comments, and feedback to the above social media handles.  

Daniel Lorang is the Head of Performance and Head Coach at Bora–Hansgrohe, Professional Cycling Team, and Lead Endurance Coach Sports Scientist. In 2019 Dan became the first coach to have ever coached both the male and female winners, in the same year, at the Kona World Ironman Triathlon Championships with Jan Frodeno and Anne Haug respectively. Alongside Jan and Annie, Dan is also the coach of Lucy Charles Barclay. Show Sponsor: POGO Physio Telehealth Consultations believe that everyone deserves access to complete and remarkable physiotherapy services. Our goal is to get you back to your Physical Best.  Find out more about telehealth consultations and book online. Join the The Physical Performance Show LEARNINGS membership through weekly podcasts | Patreon If you enjoyed this episode of The Physical Performance Show please hit SUBSCRIBE for to ensure you are one of the first to future episodes. Jump over to The Physical Performance Show for more details. Follow @Brad_Beer Instagram & Twitter The Physical Performance Show: Facebook, Instagram, & Twitter (@tppshow1) Please direct any questions, comments, and feedback to the above social media handles.

Harry Garside, Olympic Bronze Lightweight Boxing Medallist's career achievements are impressive: • 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games bronze medalist in the lightweight division • 2018 Commonwealth Games champion • 2018 Commonwealth Games lightweight champion • 7 x Australian National Boxing Champion This episode is an uplifting, inspiring and informative conversation. Harry outlines some top tips to see you perform at your physical best, he lays down a physical challenge and outlines some career highs lows and learnings. In recent times, Harry undertook some rigorous physical challenges including taking part in endurance events such as a 70.3 Triathlon. Show Sponsor: If you are looking for a gift this Christmas, do check out Polar’s Gift Guide which will help take get you or a loved ones’ health, fitness and training to it’s best. As we very well know, everyone is different, but we all get the same 24 hours to make the most of each day. We know it can be so tough to squeeze in that training session or get the optimal amount of sleep into our busy schedule. But it does not have to be this way! Polar are very excited to announce a solution, launching their new fitness and wellness watch the Polar Ignite 3! If you or a loved one feel that you haven’t been able to be at your best … then it's time to start living a life more in tune with our body's natural rhythm! If you’re keen to find out how you can get the most out of each day, simply check out Polar’s latest fitness and wellness watch at  Polar.com Join the The Physical Performance Show LEARNINGS membership through weekly podcasts | Patreon If you enjoyed this episode of The Physical Performance Show please hit SUBSCRIBE for to ensure you are one of the first to future episodes. Jump over to The Physical Performance Show for more details. Follow @Brad_Beer Instagram & Twitter The Physical Performance Show: Facebook, Instagram, & Twitter (@tppshow1) Please direct any questions, comments, and feedback to the above social media handles.

We've looked straight at the data, that is, the number of downloads per episode and today we review the top 10 most downloaded episodes of 2022. It's been a big year! We've had over 1 million downloads across the 52 week cycle to take the show's overall downloads to more than 4 million. In addition, we were thrilled to pick up third place, a bronze medal if you like, at the Australian Podcast Awards in the sports category. Our YouTube channel has grown and our social media following, so for that we are incredibly thankful and proud! A big shout out to Polar who have generously offered up an amazing Polar Ignite 3 Fitness and Wellness Watch worth $499AUD to one lucky listener of the show today. To be in the draw to win the stunning Polar Ignite 3 fitness and wellness watch, you need to do the following 3 things: 1) Sign up to Polar Newsletter and you'll get the latest training insights and access to special deals by jumping over to the show notes at The Physical Performance Show for this episode, or simply click on the text from whatever podcast player you are enjoying this episode from. 2) Follow The Physical Performance Show over on socials Twitter Facebook and Instagram 3) Follow Polar Australia  Don't miss it!! Jump in the draw to win the stunning Polar Ignite 3 fitness and wellness watch. This will be drawn on New Year's Eve 2022. So get your entry in and you might be starting in the new calendar year 2023 with a stunning watch on your wrist. Show Sponsor: If you are looking for a gift this Christmas, do check out Polar’s Gift Guide which will help take get you or a loved ones’ health, fitness and training to it’s best. As we very well know, everyone is different, but we all get the same 24 hours to make the most of each day. We know it can be so tough to squeeze in that training session or get the optimal amount of sleep into our busy schedule. But it does not have to be this way! Polar are very excited to announce a solution, launching their new fitness and wellness watch the Polar Ignite 3! If you or a loved one feel that you haven’t been able to be at your best … then it's time to start living a life more in tune with our body's natural rhythm! If you’re keen to find out how you can get the most out of each day, simply check out Polar’s latest fitness and wellness watch at  Polar.com Join the The Physical Performance Show LEARNINGS membership through weekly podcasts | Patreon If you enjoyed this episode of The Physical Performance Show please hit SUBSCRIBE for to ensure you are one of the first to future episodes. Jump over to The Physical Performance Show for more details. Follow @Brad_Beer Instagram & Twitter The Physical Performance Show: Facebook, Instagram, & Twitter (@tppshow1) Please direct any questions, comments, and feedback to the above social media handles.

Kevin Wernli recently completed his PhD looking at the relationship between posture, fear, and movement when it comes to lower back pain and chances are, yourself, or someone in your close circle is either going through an episode of back pain or has recently gone through it! Kevin takes us through the concept of nonconscious non-protection, where people forget about their back and they get back to living. Show Sponsor: As we very well know, everyone is different, but we all get the same 24 hours to make the most of each day. We know it can be so tough to squeeze in that training session or get the optimal amount of sleep into our busy schedule. But it does not have to be this way! Polar are very excited to announce a solution, launching their new fitness and wellness watch the Polar Ignite 3! If you or a loved one feel that you haven’t been able to be at your best … then it's time to start living a life more in tune with our body's natural rhythm! If you’re keen to find out how you can get the most out of each day, simply check out Polar’s latest fitness and wellness watch at  Polar.com Join the The Physical Performance Show LEARNINGS membership through weekly podcasts | Patreon If you enjoyed this episode of The Physical Performance Show please hit SUBSCRIBE for to ensure you are one of the first to future episodes. Jump over to The Physical Performance Show for more details. Follow @Brad_Beer Instagram & Twitter The Physical Performance Show: Facebook, Instagram, & Twitter (@tppshow1) Please direct any questions, comments, and feedback to the above social media handles.

Dr Dan Plews is a World Acclaimed Scientist, Applied Exercise Physiologist and Long-Course Triathlon Coach, he recently coached the current 2022 Ironman World Champion Chelsea Sodaro to victory. Scientifically, Dr Plews has over 30 peer reviewed publications to his name and has worked with more than 25 world and Olympic title winning athletes across a variety of sports. I spent time with Dr Dan Plews in New Zealand at the Endure IQ Headquarters alongside his athlete Javier Gomez, and we discussed ‘How does a long course triathlete best optimise their fat oxidation whilst doing it safely to ensure daily energy requirements are met and what are the upsides to this approach?’. I watched Dan train in person, he lives and breathes this and the results speak for themselves. Show Sponsor: As we very well know, everyone is different, but we all get the same 24 hours to make the most of each day. We know it can be so tough to squeeze in that training session or get the optimal amount of sleep into our busy schedule. But it does not have to be this way! Polar are very excited to announce a solution, launching their new fitness and wellness watch the Polar Ignite 3! If you or a loved one feel that you haven’t been able to be at your best … then it's time to start living a life more in tune with our body's natural rhythm! If you’re keen to find out how you can get the most out of each day, simply check out Polar’s latest fitness and wellness watch at  Polar.com Join the The Physical Performance Show LEARNINGS membership through weekly podcasts | Patreon If you enjoyed this episode of The Physical Performance Show please hit SUBSCRIBE for to ensure you are one of the first to future episodes. Jump over to The Physical Performance Show for more details. Follow @Brad_Beer Instagram & Twitter The Physical Performance Show: Facebook, Instagram, & Twitter (@tppshow1) Please direct any questions, comments, and feedback to the above social media handles.