Just Fly Performance Podcast

Austin Jochum, founder of Jochum Strength and former All-Conference safety, emphasizes the importance of playful, adaptable training. He critiques traditional coaching methods and champions athlete-driven learning, highlighting how play enhances performance. Austin dives into his Olympic lifting revival, sharing insights on how varied environments and competition can unlock athletic potential. He introduces the JST Olympics, a team-based initiative that boosts motivation and camaraderie in training. This conversation is packed with innovative ideas for enhancing athletic development.

Bill Smart, a sport scientist and elite fight-sports coach, reveals fascinating insights into performance training for combat athletes. He discusses the benefits of long isometric holds for building mental and physical resilience, and shares practical dosing strategies. Bill highlights the role of muscle-oxygen dynamics and how combining isometrics with conditioning caters to sport-specific needs. He also dives into flywheel eccentrics for enhancing power and sprinting's importance in maintaining elasticity, showcasing his innovative approach to athlete success.

In this discussion, Sam Elsner, a former NCAA champion thrower and motor learning educator, shares insights on athletic performance and movement learning. He emphasizes the importance of play and ecological dynamics over rigid drills, explaining how adaptability and creativity in training yield better results. Sam critiques traditional strength training approaches, highlights the value of a 'slow-cook' method, and discusses how training culture and environment shape athlete development. He advocates for integrating games into practice to boost confidence and skill.

Ben Simons, a British performance coach and two-time Olympic bobsledder, dives into the intricacies of speed training and explosive longevity. He discusses the importance of athlete adaptability and when to correct asymmetries in sprint mechanics. Ben shares insights on shifting from heavy lifts to yielding isometrics and med ball throws for enhanced longevity. He emphasizes playful, multidirectional movement and the benefits of pool work for recovery, showcasing how these methods help athletes stay reactive and pain-free.

Cody Hughes, a Nashville strength and performance coach with a decade of collegiate and private work, blends movement-first coaching with smart tech. He discusses force management, eccentric RFD, movement literacy, and using VBT and GPS as feedback and motivation. Short takes cover depth drops vs snapdowns, velocity-driven drills, gamified leaderboards, and when to hide numbers to protect intent.

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.

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.

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.

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 complement lower-leg work. Prioritize multi-planar movements that mimic sport demands. Track performance outcomes (cutting, sprinting, jumping) alongside strength gains. 16:22 – Gym and Home-Based Protocols for MTP Flexion Romain designed practical drills to strengthen metatarsophalangeal (MTP) flexion for athletes and patients alike. Use slant-board single-leg hinges to load the toes under tension. Combine seated towel curls with standing resisted big-toe flexion to cover ranges. Progress from simple bodyweight drills to resisted setups as control improves. 22:11 – Measuring Toe and Forefoot Strength Accurately Toe flexion tests must be standardized to avoid measuring calf compensation instead of true toe strength. Stabilize the rearfoot during tests to isolate toe flexion. Keep the ankle at a consistent angle for every measurement. Reassess regularly to check for genuine improvements, not testing artifacts. 31:20 – Mobility of the Forefoot and Its Role in Force Production Limited hallux motion reduces an athlete’s ability to push off and produce force effectively. Include manual therapy, active stretching, and dorsiflexion drills for the toes. Screen athletes for hallux rigidus or turf toe and address restrictions early. Pair mobility with strength work so new range converts to usable power. 37:31 – Results: How 8 Weeks of Forefoot Training Changed Performance Romain’s protocol produced large gains in forefoot strength and measurable improvements in speed and power. Expect meaningful changes in 5–8 weeks with consistent training. Combine forefoot work with performance testing to show athletes the payoff. Use small, consistent volumes rather than long, exhausting sessions. 43:54 – Explaining the Improvements in Cutting, Jumping, and Sprinting Forefoot training enhanced horizontal force application, leading to better cutting and sprinting outcomes. Integrate toe-flexion drills into warm-ups to prime for explosive sessions. Pair forefoot work with horizontal jumps to reinforce transfer. Use directional cutting drills after forefoot training to cement adaptation. 53:01 – Linking Forefoot Strength to Ankle Stability and Injury Prevention Stronger toes improve rearfoot inversion control, lowering ankle-sprain risk. Program exercises like slant-board single-leg hinges and resisted toe pushes. Train foot strength under varied loads to build robustness against awkward landings. Make foot and ankle work a weekly non-negotiable for athletes prone to sprains. 58:23 – Isolated Toe Training vs. Global Foot and Calf Training Forefoot training alone did not improve calf strength; both areas need targeted work. Pair calf raises or plyometric hops with toe-specific exercises in one session. Use assessment to decide when to bias more toward calf or forefoot. Treat the foot-calf complex as an integrated but trainable system. 1:15:09 – Designing General Foot-Ankle Programs for Teams Romain recommends cycling focus between absorption, propulsion, and spring for team athletes. Structure training blocks around one of the three key functions at a time. Keep sessions short (5–10 minutes) to ensure adherence and minimize disruption. Reassess every 5–6 weeks to track adaptation and adjust emphasis. Romain Tourillon Quotes “The whole PhD started with me testing these exercises on myself first. I needed to feel what the athlete would feel.” “I built the first version of the protocol at home with two bricks under my feet. Creativity doesn’t require fancy equipment.” “Different surfaces completely change how the foot muscles activate. The texture under the toes matters.” “You can’t separate intrinsic from extrinsic toe strength; you have to test and train the system as a whole.” “If you don’t stabilize the rearfoot during testing, you’re not really measuring toe flexion—you’re measuring calf compensation.” “Limited big toe motion limits force production. You can’t push properly off the ground if the hallux doesn’t move.” “After eight weeks we saw a 28 percent increase in MTP flexion strength and clear gains in cutting, sprinting, and jumping.” “Strong forefoot function correlates with better rearfoot inversion control, which is crucial for ankle stability.” “Slant-board single-leg hinges are one of my go-to drills for loading the toes under tension.” “Forefoot work alone won’t improve calf strength—you have to deliberately train both.” “The foot-ankle responds quickly to targeted work. In as little as five or six weeks you can see measurable gains.” “Cycle your focus between absorption, propulsion, and spring. Those three functions cover almost everything the foot does in sport.” About Romain Tourillon Romain Tourillon, PT, PhD, is a sports physiotherapist, researcher, and educator focused on foot–ankle biomechanics in health, injury, and high performance. He leads the foot–ankle service at the Swiss Olympic Medical Center (La Tour Hospital, Geneva) and consults with elite athletes. Romain earned his PhD at Université Jean Monnet Saint-Étienne, with work centered on metatarsophalangeal (MTP) flexion strength and its links to sprinting, cutting, and jumping performance. His publications and talks translate cutting-edge research into practical assessment and training methods for coaches and clinicians.

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.