

Just Fly Performance Podcast
Joel Smith, Just-Fly-Sports.com
The Just Fly Performance Podcast is dedicated to all aspects of athletic performance training, with an emphasis on speed and power development. Featured on the show are coaches and experts in the spectrum of sport performance, ranging from strength and conditioning, to track and field, to sport psychology. Hosted by Joel Smith, the Just Fly Performance Podcast brings you some of the best information on modern athletic performance available.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Oct 23, 2025 • 1h 28min
486: Cody Hughes on Principles of Athlete Centered Power Development
Today’s guest is Cody Hughes. Cody is a strength and performance coach at Farm & Forge in Nashville, blending over a decade of collegiate and private-sector experience into a practical, athlete-centered approach. His work bridges foundational movement with modern tools like VBT and GPS tracking, always anchored by the belief that health drives performance.
With the rising influence of technology in training, it can become more difficult to look clearly at the core facets of athletic force production, as well as how to optimally use technology to fill gaps, inform decisions, and even motivate groups.
On today’s episode, Cody traces his shift from heavy-loading bias to a performance lens built on force management, eccentric RFD, and training that actually reflects sport. We unpack depth drops vs. “snapdowns,” why rigid “landing mechanics” miss the mark, and how movement literacy, variability, and velocity drive speed and durability. On the tech side, we get into velocity-based training (VBT) as a feedback and motivation tool, using it to gamify effort and auto-regulate load, and knowing when to remove the numbers to protect recovery and intent.
Leaderboards, incentives, and smart stimulus design all matter, but Cody keeps it clear that data supports the human element that produces real power.
Today’s episode is brought to you by Hammer Strength and LILA Exogen wearable resistance.
Use the code “justfly20” for 20% off any Lila Exogen wearable resistance training, including the popular Exogen Calf Sleeves. For this offer, head to Lilateam.com
Use code “justfly10” for 10% off the Vert Trainer
View more podcast episodes at the podcast homepage. (https://www.just-fly-sports.com/podcast-home/)
Timestamps
0:00 – Early lifting story and the hip replacement turning point
5:31 – Coaching development, biases, and error-driven learning
19:29 – The snapdown debate: context, progressions, and purpose
25:44 – What eccentric RFD tells us about athletic durability
30:42 – Strength as expression: assessments and force-plate logic
42:31 – Movement literacy and using competitive, decision-rich drills
49:30 – VBT explained: feedback, governors, and gamification
56:50 – When to hide feedback: elite athletes and psychological load
1:01:35 – Where VBT shines: youth and early training ages
1:25:28 – Wrap up and where to find Cody
Actionable Takeaways
0:00 – Early lifting story and the hip replacement turning point.
Cody’s early heavy-loading bias led to a total hip replacement and changed his training philosophy toward stability and movement quality.
Reassess program priorities after a major injury: shift emphasis from maximal compressive loading to single-leg work, mobility, and stability.
Use your injury story as a guardrail: design training that preserves life-long movement and allows play with family.
Teach athletes the why: heavy strength is useful, but it must be paired with tissue resilience and mobility to avoid long-term breakdown.
5:31 – Coaching development, biases, and error-driven learning.
Cody stresses that coaching wisdom grows from coaching people, making mistakes, and combining mentorship with hands-on experience.
Get "skin in the game": coach real athletes and collect mistakes that refine your practice, not just textbook theory.
Seek mentorship and internships to accelerate learning while still accepting the value of self-discovery.
Avoid premature certainty: test provocative ideas and be ready to change your mind when evidence or outcomes demand it.
19:29 – The snapdown debate: context, progressions, and purpose.
Snapdowns can be either a motor-learning tool for hinge/positioning or a low-value, non-stimulating ritual depending on context.
Use snapdowns as a micro-dose progression: for young athletes, combine unweighting, pelvic control, and velocity to teach hinge and pretension.
Do not use snapdowns as a one-size-fits-all landing mechanic; i...

Oct 16, 2025 • 1h 14min
485: James de Lacey on Rhythm, Reactivity, and the Art of Athletic Power
James de Lacey, a professional strength and conditioning coach and founder of Sweet Science of Fighting, delves into the nuances of athletic strength and performance. He emphasizes the importance of rhythm and reaction in training for combat sports, linking Olympic lifting to real sport actions. Topics like oscillatory work and flywheel training show how movement quality can enhance athletic performance. James also discusses the effective mass in striking, relating these concepts to speed and power training, and practical drills that keep athletes game-ready.

Oct 9, 2025 • 0sec
484: Manuel Buitrago on Olympic Lifting, Pressure Mechanics and Explosive Athleticism
Manuel Buitrago, PhD and founder of MaStrength, dives into the intricate world of Olympic lifting and muscle dynamics. He discusses how breathing and body shape differentiate Olympic from powerlifting techniques. Manuel reveals the importance of connective tissue for performance and shares insights on squat variations that influence lifting outcomes. With practical advice on form and training adaptations, he offers listeners a fresh perspective on maximizing athletic movement and explosiveness.

Oct 2, 2025 • 1h 9min
483: Jack Barry on Confidence and the Art of Instinctive Athleticism
Jack Barry, founder of JB Performance and former college baseball player, dives into the world of athletic performance. He discusses how confidence can be cultivated through visualization and targeted self-talk. Barry highlights the importance of balancing effort with recovery and developing a unique identity in sport. He shares insights on using 'pattern breaks' to conquer the yips and enhance mental resilience. The conversation also touches on the benefits of cross-training and how mindset and mechanics should work together for optimal performance.

Sep 25, 2025 • 0sec
482: Romain Tourillon on Forefoot Training, Toe Strength, and Athletic Development
Today’s guest is Romain Tourillon. Romain is a sports physiotherapist and researcher specializing in the foot–ankle complex, with clinical leadership at the Swiss Olympic Medical Center, La Tour Hospital (Geneva). His PhD at Université Jean Monnet Saint-Étienne examined foot muscle strength and sport performance.
It’s important to train the lower legs in athletes, but the question is what type of training is best, especially when it comes to working the toes and forefoot, versus more general calf and shin work.
In this episode, Romain discusses his research on forefoot biomechanics and performance. He shares training that boosted MTP (big-toe) flexion strength ~28% in trained athletes and explains how stronger forefeet enhance sprinting, cutting, and jumping via better force transmission and stability. We also cover injury prevention, targeted foot/ankle exercises, challenges in measuring toe strength, and where 3D analyses may take the field— with practical takeaways for coaches and athletes throughout.
Today’s episode is brought to you by Hammer Strength and the Just Fly Sports Online Courses
Check out the newest mini-course, Sprint Drills Reloaded on how to maximize sprint drills, their specific strength development, building of major sprint actions, along with better integration of sprint drills into sprinting technique. The special intro sale ends July 1st. (https://justflysports.thinkific.com/courses/sprint-drills-reloaded)
Use code “justfly10” for 10% off the Vert Trainer
Use code “justfly20” for 20% off of LILA Exogen Wearable resistance gear at www.lilateam.com
View more podcast episodes at the podcast homepage. (https://www.just-fly-sports.com/podcast-home/)
Timestamps
0:00 Building a PhD Protocol from Real-Life Training
4:46 Using Everyday Objects to Innovate Foot Training
8:16 Surface Texture and Proprioception in Barefoot Work
11:27 Breaking Down Romain’s PhD Research on the Forefoot
16:22 Gym and Home-Based Protocols for MTP Flexion
22:11 Measuring Toe and Forefoot Strength Accurately
31:20 Mobility of the Forefoot and Its Role in Force Production
37:31 Results: How 8 Weeks of Forefoot Training Changed Performance
43:54 Explaining the Improvements in Cutting, Jumping, and Sprinting
53:01 Linking Forefoot Strength to Ankle Stability and Injury Prevention
58:23 Isolated Toe Training vs. Global Foot and Calf Training
1:15:09 Designing General Foot-Ankle Programs for Teams
Actionable Takeaways
0:00 – Building a PhD Protocol from Real-Life Training
Romain developed his research exercises by first experimenting on himself to understand their feel, intensity, and weaknesses.
Test new foot or ankle drills on yourself first to refine cues and feel.
Note the sensations and difficulties athletes might face before implementing.
Use self-testing to build better communication and progression strategies.
4:46 – Using Everyday Objects to Innovate Foot Training
The “foot bridge” concept came from standing barefoot on two bricks, showing that creative setups can unlock new sensations without expensive tools.
Incorporate simple props like bricks or angled boards to change foot loading.
Create small balance challenges to engage the toes and arches differently.
Use low-cost, adaptable tools to spark innovation in foot training.
8:16 – Surface Texture and Proprioception in Barefoot Work
Different surfaces alter how foot muscles activate, making proprioception a key training variable.
Rotate athletes between rough, smooth, and dampened surfaces to shift activation.
Use barefoot drills regularly to strengthen sensory feedback from the toes.
Treat surface texture as a deliberate tool to adjust difficulty and stimulus.
11:27 – Breaking Down Romain’s PhD Research on the Forefoot
Romain studied how forefoot strength training impacts sprinting, cutting, and jumping performance.
Add structured toe flexion and forefoot drills to comple...

8 snips
Sep 18, 2025 • 59min
481: Sam Portland on An Evolution of Sport Speed and Movement Training
In this engaging conversation, Sam Portland, a UK-based athletic performance coach and creator of Speed Gate Golf, discusses the evolution of athlete performance. He emphasizes the significance of rhythm and movement in sport speed training, advocating for a return to simplicity in drills. Sam critiques over-complicated techniques, promoting sport-specific practice for better transfer of skills. He also shares insights on warm-up strategies and the importance of creating a comfortable environment for athletes to express their speed.

34 snips
Sep 11, 2025 • 1h 17min
480: Phil Nash on The Infinite Game of Athletic Performance
Phil Nash, Manager of Coach Education at EXOS and an expert in strength and conditioning, shares his insights on training athletes. He discusses the balance between structured training and the freedom of play, emphasizing adaptability and growth. Phil critiques traditional conditioning models, advocating for a shift to dynamic, movement-focused training. He also highlights the significance of enjoyment in training, exploring the infinite game concept for a long-term perspective on athletic performance. Coaches and athletes will gain valuable, practical insights from his approach.

Sep 4, 2025 • 1h 23min
479: Tim Shieff on Exploring Fluidity, Coordination, and Sustainable Performance
Today’s guest is Tim Shieff. Tim is a former world champion freerunner and Ninja Warrior competitor, and the founder of Way of the Rope. After years of high-level competition, he discovered Rope Flow as a way to restore rhythm, coordination, and resilience in movement. Today, he shares this practice worldwide, blending athletic creativity with a simple, sustainable philosophy: low-tech equipment for a high-tech body.
In this episode, we explore the transformative power of diverse movement practices in athletic training. From track and field to parkour, breakdance, swimming, and rope flow, we explore how these disciplines shape skill development and reveal the qualitative aspects of elite sport movement. Tim also shares his journey from traditional sports to discovering the benefits of innovative movement, offering powerful insights on how athletes can unlock agility, strength, and resilience by taking a holistic approach to training.
Today’s episode is brought to you by Hammer Strength.
View more podcast episodes at the podcast homepage. (https://www.just-fly-sports.com/podcast-home/)
Timestamps
5:36 – Exploring Yoga, Biomechanics, and Training Through Injury
10:43 – Discovering Movement Connections Through Slow Practice
23:26 – Parkour Training as a Unique Learning Process
31:41 – Balancing Intensity, Recovery, and Longevity in Training
42:08 – The Value of Gentleness in Building Strength
53:30 – Using Constraints to Improve Movement Awareness
59:08 – Applying Martial Intent and Precision in Movement
1:01:31 – Rope Flow as a Tool for Coordination and Rhythm
1:11:17 – Integrating Jump Rope and Rope Flow into Athletic Training
Actionable takeaways
5:36 – Exploring Yoga, Biomechanics, and Training Through Injury
Key Idea: Tim explains how yoga and biomechanics gave him tools to keep moving through injuries and to rebuild awareness of how his body works.
Actionable Takeaways:
Use yoga or mindful movement practices as low-intensity ways to stay connected when injured.
Pay attention to biomechanics during rehab—it’s not just about healing tissue, but about moving better long-term.
Reframe injuries as opportunities to explore different forms of movement.
10:43 – Discovering Movement Connections Through Slow Practice
Key Idea: Slowing things down can reveal hidden connections between muscles, joints, and fascia. Tim found value in practicing movement slowly before adding intensity.
Actionable Takeaways:
Strip movements down and slow them until you can feel the sequence.
Use slow practice as a diagnostic tool to notice leaks, compensations, or missing links.
Build control first, then layer on speed and power.
23:26 – Parkour Training as a Unique Learning Process
Key Idea: Parkour introduced Tim to exploration, problem-solving, and adapting movement to different environments.
Actionable Takeaways:
Use obstacle-based tasks to force creative movement solutions.
Train adaptability—don’t just repeat drills, but give athletes problems to solve.
Embrace exploration: movement learned through play tends to stick.
31:41 – Balancing Intensity, Recovery, and Longevity in Training
Key Idea: Tim highlights that chasing intensity every session can shorten careers—longevity requires balance.
Actionable Takeaways:
Periodize intensity with recovery—don’t redline every workout.
Prioritize sustainability: ask “Can I do this 10 years from now?”
Recovery practices are as important as the training itself.
42:08 – The Value of Gentleness in Building Strength
Key Idea: Strength doesn’t always come from force—sometimes it’s built by gentleness, precision, and subtlety.
Actionable Takeaways:
Explore lighter, more mindful work instead of always going maximal.
Recognize that gentleness can rewire coordination in ways brute strength cannot.
Use precise, controlled practice as a pathway to more efficient power later.

14 snips
Aug 28, 2025 • 1h 36min
478: Michael Schofield on Tendons, Fascia and Elastic Recoil in Athletic Movement
Dr. Michael Schofield, a New Zealand sports scientist and biomechanics PhD, delves into the vital role of connective tissues in athletic performance. He explains how tendons and fascia contribute to movement, discussing their elasticity and how they can prevent injuries. The conversation covers the importance of movement literacy over early strength training and the complexities of muscle versus fascia. Mike also highlights the significance of training specific to sports and the many pathways athletes can take to achieve elite performance.

12 snips
Aug 21, 2025 • 1h 17min
477: Boo Schexnayder on General Strength and the Art of Comprehensive Athletic Development
Boo Schexnayder, a world-class coach with over 44 years in track and field, shares his insights on comprehensive athletic development. He emphasizes the often-overlooked importance of general strength and movement quality in training. Boo discusses innovative techniques like scramble circuits and supramaximal eccentrics that enhance performance while preventing injuries. He also critiques traditional methods for hamstring injury prevention, advocating for more dynamic training approaches, and highlights the need for individual adaptation in sprint training.


