
AFL Performance Tips for Strength & Conditioning Coaches & Footballers
Welcome to the “AFL Performance Tips for Strength & Conditioning Coaches & Footballers" your go-to resource for invaluable insights into the world of elite sports. We're here to empower footballers and high-performance staff with the knowledge and expertise needed to excel in the AFL arena. Prepare to take your game to the next level with our expert guidance.
In this podcast, we tackle a range of burning questions often asked by those striving for excellence in the AFL. From understanding the distance AFL players cover and their training regimen to breaking into elite sports as a strength & conditioning coach and exploring pathways to the AFL, we've got you covered.
Every Monday, we release a new episode that provides updates on upcoming live interviews and fresh insights from AFL players, senior coaches, sports psychologists, strength and conditioning coaches, sports dietitians, and other leading figures in the industry. These experts share their career journeys, success stories, and practical tips for athletes and high-performance staff alike.
Don't miss our weekly live conversations on the Prepare Like a Pro YouTube channel, where you can watch these discussions and get notified about new content. For more resources, freebies, and blog posts, join our newsletter, and stay connected with us on Instagram. Your feedback matters, so let Jack know how we can make our podcasts even better and suggest the topics you'd like us to cover next.
To explore the wealth of information we offer, visit our website at https://preparelikeapro.com/, and if you're ready to take your training to the next level, join our academy membership at https://preparelikeaproacademy.com.au/. Get ready to prepare like a pro and unlock your full potential in the world of AFL high performance! Also don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/@PrepareLikeAPro to get more high performance value!
Latest episodes

Sep 26, 2023 • 47min
#272 - Cameron Ferguson, Head of Performance at Gold Coast Titans
Highlights from the episode:
- Tips to thrive under pressure and how they apply to both sports and everyday life
- His favorite coaching tips and resources
- Mindset technique that empowers athletes to stay focused and composed
- His advice for coaches leading a high-performance department
- How he educates athletes to have a high-performance mindset

Sep 24, 2023 • 16min
#96 - Community Football Fitness Off Season Tips with Coach Jack McLean
Highlights from the episode:
- Do at least 2 weeks of unstructured training
- Start light training after 2 weeks
- In 6-8 weeks, increase the frequency of runs and weight sessions
- 4 weeks before pre-season, focus on a 2k time trial
- Set goals for strength & conditioning and football
Are you ready to enhance your game? Our program is designed to propel footballers, like yourself, towards greater fitness, speed, and strength, ensuring you’re fully prepared to dominate on the field!
Book a FREE footballer discovery call
https://calendly.com/plp2

Sep 21, 2023 • 5min
#271 - Sarah Perkins, AFLW Player at Hawthorn Football Club
Highlights from the episode:
- How Sarah got drafted and how her footy career started
- How does she stay motivated and get better
- How does her VFL schedule and workload look like
- Sarah explains off-feet conditioning and when is it used
- Her recovery routine after a game

Sep 19, 2023 • 37min
#270 - Blair Mills, Performance Director at Toshiba Brave Lupus, Tokyo, Japan
Highlights from the episode:
- Key pillars to create a high-performance environment
- Key areas team field sport athletes should focus on
- How to propel athletes to push their physical boundaries and achieve extraordinary feats
- Significance of tailoring training regimes to individual athletes' strengths, weaknesses, and goals
- Effective recovery strategies that enable athletes to bounce back stronger and minimize the risk of injuries

Sep 17, 2023 • 17min
#95 - Kid Friendly Strength Top Tips for Youth Weight Training
Highlights from the episode:
- What age should kids start lifting weight
- How should training change for ages 13 to 16
- Key tips if your child is ready to start weight training
- Lifting guidelines for ages 13 to 16
- Myths in strength training
- Benefit of plyometrics
Are you ready to enhance your game? Our program is designed to propel footballers, like yourself, towards greater fitness, speed, and strength, ensuring you’re fully prepared to dominate on the field!
Book a FREE footballer discovery call
https://calendly.com/plp2

Sep 14, 2023 • 8min
#269 - Alex Clarke, Athletic Performance Coach at Wests Tigers
Highlights from the episode:
- How Alex started his strength and conditioning career
- How his rehab work looks like at Brisbane Lions
- Alex shares his footy finals experience at Hawthorn Brisbane
- His advice for fellow S&C coaches
- Alex shares how he started Jewel Performance
- Things to focus on for developing rugby or footy athletes

Sep 12, 2023 • 52min
#268 - Claudio Altieri, Head of Performance at Loudoun United FC
Highlights from the episode:
- Tips and advice for coaches looking to work around the world
- The key differences of managing a club pro team compared to a national team
- The importance of training camps at an international level
- Effective strategies when using tactical periodization
- Common mistakes of coaches at the international level

Sep 10, 2023 • 15min
#94 - Crafting Your Professional Brand A Blueprint for Success
Highlights from the episode:
- Developing strong relationships
- Create a LinkedIn Profile
- Network strategies
- Interview Techniques
- Online presence
Are you ready to enhance your game? Our program is designed to propel footballers, like yourself, towards greater fitness, speed, and strength, ensuring you’re fully prepared to dominate on the field!
Book a FREE footballer discovery call
https://calendly.com/plp2

Sep 7, 2023 • 7min
#267 - John Pryor, Performance Specialist at Rugby Australia
Highlights from the episode:
- How wrestling experience can help with off-season training for inside game
- Key areas to focus on and running drills he uses for developing athletes
- How he keeps athletes engaged and have fun during his training sessions
- How to make the most of using Frans Bosch's methodology
- How to improve your influence as a strength & conditioning coach

Sep 5, 2023 • 1h 8min
#266 - Ryan Timmins, Senior Lecturer at ACU Brisbane
Highlights from the episode:
- Favorite exercises for mitigating hamstring injuries
- Ryan’s favorite hamstring exercises for improving hamstring fascicle length and eccentric strength
- The importance of AFL athlete’s sprinting regularly
- Trends he has seen of athletes that have a bad run and how to prevent it
- Tips and advice for coaches looking to develop a research-based hamstring program