Inform Performance

Episode 34: Andy McDonald chats to Tracy Axel the Director of high performance analytics at USA surfing and manager of sports performance research and analytics at Mamba sports academy. In this episode with Tracy we’ll be discussing her role at USA surfing and unpackaged what professional surfing looks like from a sport science and performance analytics standpoint.    In this episode Andy and Tracy discuss:    Surfing as an Olympic sport  Training culture in surfing  Performance markers in surfing  Physiology and conditioning in surfing  Return to play in surfing Future of research in surfing Tracys approach to high-performance  Effective communication between a performance MDT    Where you can find Tracy:   LinkedIn Twitter  Instagram   Smartletics Tempo App Apple App Store Google App Store  Website   Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following Inform Performance on:   Instagram Twitter Our Website   Our team    Andy McDonald   Ben Ashworth

Episode 33: Andy McDonald chats to Strength & Conditioning Coach Alex Natera. Alex is based at GWS Giants Football Club in Sydney as Senior Athletic Performance Specialist. Alex has a wealth of experience and has enjoyed previous roles at Aspire Academy in Qatar, South Australian Sports Institute, English Institute of Sport, St Mary’s University, and Crystal Palace Football club to name a few. In this episode we have a discussion about something he is world renowned for in Isometrics and Eccentric training methods.  In this episode Andy and Alex Natera discuss:  Alex’s background  Training during Covid. High-Neural output work Alex’s interest in Isometrics Reasoning & benefits isometrics  When to implement isometrics  Methods for implementing Isometrics  Program transitioning in/out of isometrics  Eccentric Training  Isometrics in rehab  Where you can find Alex: LinkedIn Instagram Twitter Smartletics Tempo App Apple App Store Google App Store  Website Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following Inform Performance on: Instagram Twitter Our Website Our team  Andy McDonald   Ben Ashworth

Episode 32: Andy McDonald chats to Alex Wolf the co-founder of Wayfaring. Alex is a Performance Consultant, Strength & Conditioning Coach and also an experienced leader with a demonstrated history of working in the high performance. He has a wealth of experience of preparing athletes, staff and teams successfully for Olympic Games. He has previously been Head of Learning, head of strength of S&C and the technical lead at the English Institute of Sport, as well as lead S&C coach for GB rowing amongst other sporting roles. Alex in this episode shares wealth of technical knowledge and thinking on the topic of adaptation led programming.    In this episode Andy and Alex Wolf discuss:    Alex’s professional background Adaptation Led Programming  Origin of work and questions  Why do we strength train? Function as product of outcome not method Clarity and explicit objectives Simple solutions to clear objectives Structural, local & global coordination adaptation Periodisation & adaptation led programming Clarity in language and terminology  Wayfaring - leading teams     Where you can find Alex: Twitter  LinkedIn   Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following Inform Performance on: Instagram Twitter Our Website   Our team  Andy McDonald   Ben Ashworth

Episode 31: Andy McDonald hosts a discussion on achilles tendinopathy between Karin Silbernagel, Mark Young and Matt Tuttle.  Dr Dr Karin Grävare-Silbernagel is an Associate Professor at the Department of Physical Therapy, University of Delaware, Newark, USA. At University of Delaware she runs the tendon research lab together with her colleagues from mechanical and biomedical engineering.  Mark Young is a Senior Physiotherapist at the Geelong Cats who has previously worked at the AIS, EIS, UK Athletics, Nike Athletics and the England & Wales Cricket Board.  Dr Matt Tuttle has previously been on the podcast in episodes 11 and 24 and is the Lead Sport Scientist and Physical Therapist for NBA team the Denver Nuggets.   In this episode the panel discuss:    Their backgrounds & personal interests in tendons Achilles diagnostic considerations & processes Acute achilles tendinopathy management Management approach & philosophy Challenges in their individual athlete settings Tendon risk mitigation Elastography & UTC to monitor and Intervene with rehab Imaging Achilles tendon ruptures Tendon Resiliency Managing Tendons In-season Athlete cut points / can the athlete train or play? Managing warm-up and game timing Setting expectations What exercises to use to make a tendon feel better in-season. Thorough assessment and differentials   Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following Inform Performance on:   Instagram Twitter Our Website   Our team    Andy McDonald   Ben Ashworth

Episode 30: Andy McDonald chats to Dr Meeta Singh. Dr Meeta Singh is a sleep doctor whose work and research focuses on “Coaching the sleep muscle” to help maximize performance in both individual athletes and sports teams. She is the Service chief of the sleep medicine, and section head and medical director at the Henry Fordsleep laboratory in Michigan. Dr Singh is board-certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology as a psychiatrist and sleep medicine sub-specialist. She has served as a consultant for multiple NFL, MLB, NHL and NBA teams. She has also worked with college sports teams. As part of this service, Dr. Singh performs athletic sleep assessments with personalized prescriptions for better sleep. She also helps sports teams and athletes with their travel management with a focus on addressing sleep deprivation and jet lag and maximizing athletic performance. Her passion is lecturing and educating teams and athletes about the benefits of sleep on performance.   In this episode Andy and Dr Meeta Singh discuss: Her background  Sleep requirement, deficit & dose response  Sleep Diaries  Wearable Technology Educating and implementing sleep strategies  Orthosomnia  Sleep Environment Jet lag Crossing time zones  Relationship between sleep and Injury risk  Sleep and Recovery from injury Can you get too much sleep? Napping  Uncoupled sleep and circadian rhythm Backroom staff sleep considerations   Where you can find Dr Meeta Singh: Twitter  LinkedIn Instagram Website    Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following Inform Performance on: Instagram Twitter Our Website   Our team  Andy McDonald   Ben Ashworth

Episode 29: Andy McDonald chats to Dr Andy Barr a British Physiotherapist / Doctor of Physical Therapy. Andy is an established leader in the field of high performance and injury risk reduction with over 20 years of experience working in professional sports. He has held Director of Medicine and Performance roles with Bolton Wanderers F.C., Southampton F.C. and Manchester City F.C. in the EPL, New York Knicks in the NBA and New York City F.C. in the MLS. More recently Andy is the CEO & founder of Quantum Performance in Los Angeles providing rehab and performance solutions to elite athletes and teams.    In this conversation with Dr Andy Barr we discuss: Andy’s background Transitioning from the UK to USA / EPL to the NBA Working freelance and as a consultant  Andy’s 4 Pillars approach to rehabilitation Variety during rehab Pros and cons of working independently vs in a team Andy’s current and future projects   Where you can find Dr Andy Barr: Twitter Linkedin Instagram   Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following Inform Performance on: Instagram Twitter Our Website   Our team  Andy McDonald   Ben Ashworth

Episode 28: Andy McDonald chats to Dr Matt Taberner, a Sport Scientist, S&C and Rehab Coach who has enjoyed career spells at Aston Villa and Everton Football Club previously. Matt recently finished his PHD constructing a framework for return to sport in elite football. In this episode we’ll hear Matt explain his work and dive into the control chaos continuum framework he’s produced.    In this conversation Andy & Matt discuss: Origins of the Control Chaos Continuum  Bridging the gap between traditional rehab and return to performance  Applying the Control Chaos Continuum to specific injury cases Applying the principles of the CCC to different sports  What Matt is looking to do next professionally   Where you can find Matt: Twitter LinkedIn   Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following Inform Performance on: Instagram Twitter Our Website   Our team  Andy McDonald   Ben Ashworth

Episode 27: Andy McDonald chats with Dr Phil Wagner the Founder & CEO of Sparta Science. Phil is a a Physician and a Strength Coach who received his medical degree from USC focused on biomechanics. Phil’s passion for protecting athlete health and longevity through injury resilience coupled with his medically-oriented human performance mindset inspired him to found Sparta Science, a movement technology and data science company focused on improving musculoskeletal health.    In this conversation Andy & Phil discuss:   Phil’s from athlete to Strength & Conditioning Coach to medicine.  Setting up Sparta Science  Informed consumers Assessing methods & tools before Implementation Re-defining what “Injury prevention means”  How Sparta Interacts with team systems  AI & Machine learning in predictive injury models  Blind spots in data models Injury risk identification verses occurrence  The value of coaches & clinicians gaining foundation knowledge in data methods   Where you can find Phil: Twitter LinkedIn   Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following Inform Performance on: Instagram Twitter Our Website   Our team  Andy McDonald   Ben Ashworth

Episode 26: Andy McDonald catches up with Pete McKnight the Hintsa Performance Director of Coaching & Sports Science. Pete has also been a Strength & Conditioning Coach in elite sport and human performance for almost two decades, working across multiple organisations including the French Ski Federation, Leicester CCC, England & Wales Cricket, UK Athletics, The English Institute of Sport and he was previously Chairman of the Board of Directors for the UK Strength & Conditioning Association (UKSCA).   In this conversation Andy & Pete discuss:   His current role at Hintsa  The skills, qualities and lessons Pete carried forward in the journey director. Stability at home Goal setting  Skills: leadership, communication, building a team, systems, program development What Pete learnt from being at the English Institute of Sport MDT environment  Preparedness to lead a discipline / department  Preparedness to progress to Director / Head of Dept  Challenges he faces and strategies he deploys Advising yourself in hindsight People that have Inspired him  Books and resources Changing jobs, accepting and turning down offers   Were you can find Pete Twitter LinkedIn   Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following Inform Performance on: Instagram Twitter Our Website   Our team  Andy McDonald   Ben Ashworth

Episode 25:  Andy McDonald speaks to Dan Howells the Houston Astros Head S&C Coordinator. Dan is a British S&C coach that has transitioned from the English Institute of sport, England Rugby Sevens to Major League Baseball. With these transitions in mind in this episode with Dan we discuss his move to baseball and how he structured the thought processes for developing and managing a strength & conditioning program and department.   Andy and Dan discuss:    Dans Role Dans transition from Rugby to Baseball How Dan developed through changing sports Muti-Sport Environments Relating principles of training to the athlete  Individual load management - “Biological Periodisation”  “Push Pull” Player load management  Being perceived as a coach rather in the front office  Difference of S&C provision between the UK / USA or rugby and baseball  Approach to developing and managing a strength and conditioning program/dept  Identifying what the team/organisation needs Effecting performance remotely as a coordinator  Ashtest   Were you can find Dan Twitter   Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following Inform Performance on: Instagram Twitter Our Website   Our team  Andy McDonald   Ben Ashworth