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The Athletic Performance Podcast: we discuss all things performance-related, with a focus on pushing the boundaries of speed, power, and strength.
52 Episodes
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Every parent wants their kid to succeed, but the hard truth is this: there are no elite 10-year-olds. In this episode, I sit down with Jeremy Frisch, one of the most respected voices in youth athletic development, to talk about early specialization, missing foundations, and how to actually set kids up for long-term success. We cover everything from tummy time and crawling, to why year-round sports are burning kids out, to the creative ways Jeremy designs training that looks like play but buil...
In this episode of the Athletic Performance Podcast, Coach Ryan Patrick sits down with Sara MacKenzie, Director of Strength & Conditioning at Cal Poly. Sara shares her journey from a $0/hour intern at Arizona State to running a full department at Cal Poly, the challenges of coaching 500+ athletes solo, and how parenting reshaped her coaching philosophy. We cover everything from building systems under resource constraints to balancing toughness and empathy in the weight room — and why dura...
Feet, Ankles, and the Rhythm of Speed with Ryan Hopkins | Athletic Performance Podcast Ep. 50 What if the real key to speed has nothing to do with the weight room...and everything to do with your feet, ankles, and rhythm? In this episode, Coach Ryan Patrick sits down with Ryan Hopkins (Soho Strength Lab, NYC) to break down the overlooked foundations of sprinting and athletic speed. We dive into cadence, coordination, and why too many coaches slow athletes down instead of letting them chase ...
In this episode, Coach Ryan Patrick sits down with Yassir Kahook, Sports Science Coordinator and Strength Coach at Cressey Sports Performance Florida. Yassir pulls back the curtain on how CSP integrates force plates, Proteus Motion, and the 1080 Sprint into athlete development—from pro baseball players to youth athletes. You’ll learn: The key force plate metrics that matter (and the ones that don’t).Why the shape of the force-time curve may be more valuable than jump height.How force plates r...
Episode Summary In this episode of the Athletic Performance Podcast, Coach Ryan Patrick sits down with Professor Paul Comfort—author, researcher, and one of the leading voices in strength & conditioning science. They unpack the real-world application of force plate testing, the myths around strength thresholds, and how to make smarter programming decisions. ✅ When and how to introduce isometric testing for youth athletes ✅ The truth about “how strong is strong enough” ✅ Why jump ratios (...
Most goalkeeper training focuses on tactics and technique — but what about the physical side? Coach Chris Coll has carved out a unique niche in the sports performance world: developing goalkeepers like true athletes. In this episode, we cover: Chris’s unlikely journey from American football to goalie coaching.Why speed and velocity matter more than just weight room strength.The difference between high effort and high output — and why most keepers confuse the two.Movement competency: hip turns...
(n this episode of the Athletic Performance Podcast, Coach Ryan Patrick sits down with Lucy Hendricks — gym owner, coach, and former biomechanics educator — to unpack the often-overlooked side of coaching: human connection.Lucy shares how she navigated a toxic business partnership, personal burnout, and even a “mini cancellation” online, ultimately transforming her approach to coaching, leadership, and client relationships. We discuss: • Why soft skills may be the most valuable thing yo...
Please remember to rate and review with 5 ⭐️ only! In this episode of The Athletic Performance Podcast, Ryan sits down with legendary coach Henk Kraaijenhof. Henk has quietly influenced generations of sprint coaches around the world—not by dictating methods, but by asking better questions and helping others think critically about adaptation and performance. Henk has coached Olympic champions, broken world records, and even walked away from coaching for several years—only to return with the ...
What’s the least you can do to maintain or even build muscle? How do you balance movement quality with output for athletes? And is there such a thing as “too much” technical obsession? In this episode, I’m joined by Ryan L’Ecuyer—bodybuilder, strength coach, and expert in hypertrophy and movement strategies. We cover: ✅ Minimal effective dose for hypertrophy (and why less might be more). ✅ How to balance athletic movement and output in programming. ✅ Smarter ways to train in-seaso...
How Cole Hergott Built a System, Not a Staff When Cole Hergott took over as the Head Strength Coach at Trinity Western University, he was just 25 years old— from "one of the boys" to the man in charge. Now, he runs one of the tightest systems in Canadian college athletics, managing over 300 athletes solo with no assistant coaches. In this episode, Cole breaks down: How he earned authority after transitioning from teammate to coachHis systems for managing remote training and holding athl...
In this episode, Dr. Krista Scott-Dixon joins the podcast to flip the script on “mental toughness” and reframe what true resilience looks like—especially in high-performance environments. From special operations to sport, Krista’s work helps coaches and athletes build capacity without burning out. We dive into the psychology of performance, coaching with compassion, and why goal-setting without identity work is a dead end. With her background as Director of Curriculum at Precision Nutrition a...
In this episode of The Athletic Performance Podcast, I sit down with Blair Lloyd — a dynamic strength and conditioning coach, educator, and mentor currently serving as Director of Training at Pure Performance in Boston. Blair shares her journey from collegiate basketball player to private sector performance coach, opening up about how a recent ACL injury has reshaped her perspective — not just as an athlete, but as a leader and mentor. What started as a devastating moment turned into a spring...
What separates athletes who peak at 17… from the ones who keep climbing through college and beyond? In this episode of the Athletic Performance Podcast, I sit down with rotational power coach Bill Miller to break down the blueprint for building durable, high-output baseball athletes — the kind that actually transfer their strength and speed to the field. We cover: Force vs. velocity profiling — and why most programs miss the markHow to use med ball throws, Proteus, and VBT to monitor real ada...
In this episode of the Athletic Performance Podcast, we’re joined by Sarah Martin — a neurobiologist-turned-physical therapist who went from publishing research to helping athletes reclaim their movement and eliminate chronic pain. Sarah breaks down how rigid movement patterns develop, why most mobility drills miss the point, and how we can use tension release, neurological awareness, and coaching language to unlock long-term performance gains. Whether you're a coach, athlete, or clinician, S...
How do you build fast, powerful athletes without burning them out? In this episode, I’m joined by Ryan Banta—coach, educator, and author of The Sprinter’s Compendium. He’s the creator of the Critical Mass Training System and one of the sharpest minds in track & field today. We cover: Why training frequency > volume for developing female athletesHow early freshman success can be a trap—and how he avoids breaking talent too soonWhy Fly 30 testing is one of his most powerful tools for lon...
In this episode of The Athletic Performance Podcast, Coach Ryan Patrick sits down with Stephanie Grubbs, Major League Strength Coach for the Houston Astros, to dive deep into: Microdosing strategies for in-season trainingThe art of managing recovery across a grueling 162+ game scheduleHow sports science informs smarter coaching decisionsBuilding individualized athlete "menus" for better buy-in and performanceLessons from college to pro transitions—and why adaptability is the ultimate skillSte...
In this episode, I down with movement expert Katie St. Clair to unpack the principles behind smart training that bridges rehab and performance. We dive into how to restore movement variability, improve pelvic floor function, and go beyond isolated breathing drills to train resilient, powerful clients—without overcomplicating things. What we cover in this episode: How Katie evolved her model from detailed assessments to movement-based coachingWhen internal rotation isn’t the problem—and what t...
In this episode, I sit down with Nathan Schafer, founder of 3D Athletics, to explore a smarter, more holistic approach to movement training. Rooted in principles learned from Gary Gray, Nathan shares how 3D movement prep, extensive plyos, and strategic variability can develop better movers—and better athletes—without chasing higher and higher outputs. 🎯 Topics covered: Why most warm-ups are a wasted opportunityThe "gear shifting" concept that elite athletes masterWhy movement IQ > pure ver...
Episode Summary: In this episode of the Athletic Performance Podcast, Matt Hank challenges conventional speed training methods and shares his unfiltered approach to coaching athletes. If you've ever questioned the effectiveness of traditional sprint drills or wondered how to make weight room work transfer better to the field, this one's for you. 🔥 Highlights & Topics: ✅ Why Matt eliminated "punch down" sprint cues—and what he replaced them with ✅ The secret to integrating rotational me...
🔥 In this episode, Coach Ryan Patrick sits down with Dan Brandi to talk all things speed, strength, and agility. 🔥 Topics Covered: ✅ The biggest shifts in youth athlete development ✅ Why less structured training can be more beneficial ✅ The assessment process—what actually matters ✅ Strength training’s role in speed development ✅ Change of direction training: is it overrated? ✅ Best technology & tools for tracking athletic progress 💬 Have questions? Drop them in the comments! 📌 Follow...
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