Maximising performance, managing fatigue and optimising recovery in American Football with Marc Lewis

Aug 17, 2023

Marc Lewis, Director of Sports Science at the Houston Texans, discusses athlete fatigue management, load monitoring, and recovery optimization. He explains fatigue monitoring techniques, the importance of robust monitoring protocols, and the role of sleep and nutrition in recovery. Additionally, he explores various recovery modalities, such as cold water immersion, to manage fatigue in American football.

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ANECDOTE

Unconventional Journey

Marc Lewis's non-traditional path to the NFL began with a challenging upbringing, including homelessness.
The military provided stability, sparking his interest in physical preparation and research.

INSIGHT

Diverse Demands

American football positions have vastly different demands, requiring tailored monitoring approaches.
Metrics vary significantly between positions like linemen and skill players (wide receivers, defensive backs).

ADVICE

Position-Specific Metrics

Monitor high-speed yardage, accelerations/decelerations for skill players (wide receivers, defensive backs).
Use metrics like IMA (Inertial Movement Analysis) to quantify micro-movements for linemen.

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In this episode of the Pacey Performance Podcast, Marc Lewis, Director of Sports Science at the Houston Texans delves into the intricate realm of athlete fatigue management, load monitoring and recovery optimisation.

Marc offers a comprehensive overview of fatigue monitoring techniques. From analyzing performance metrics like jump height to decoding the significance of fatigue patterns, Lewis guides listeners through the nuances of assessing and interpreting athlete fatigue levels. He introduces the concept of "non-functional overreaching," highlighting the importance of recognizing when athletes are unable to adapt strategies to achieve performance goals, indicating a significant level of fatigue.

Listeners gain valuable knowledge on establishing robust monitoring protocols. Lewis discusses the importance of understanding coefficients of variation and effect sizes, emphasizing the need to differentiate between measurement errors and genuine performance changes. The conversation also explores the optimal timing for testing, such as assessing fatigue levels both immediately after a game and midweek to capture recovery trends.

The podcast doesn't stop at monitoring—Lewis dives into recovery methods as well. He emphasizes the role of sleep and nutrition, highlighting their significance in expediting recovery. Additionally, he explores various recovery modalities, ranging from well-researched techniques like cold water immersion to other options that offer individual athletes a degree of autonomy in their recovery choices.

By the end of the conversation, you'll have a comprehensive understanding of how to tailor training programs, prioritize recovery, and ultimately elevate the performance of athletes. Tune in for a deep dive into the world of fatigue management, where science meets practice.

Main talking points:

The demands of the NFL
Athlete fatigue monitoring
Understanding non-functional overreaching
Monitoring protocols: CVs, effect sizes
Timing of fatigue and readiness assessments: Post-game, midweek assessments
Autonomy in recovery choices