

AFL Performance Tips for Strength & Conditioning Coaches & Footballers
Prepare Like a Pro with Jack Mclean
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!
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!
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jul 6, 2023 • 6min
#249 - Meg Hutchins, Retired AFLW Player | VFLW Player Development Mentor
Highlights from the episode:
- How AFLW began and Meg's involvement in setting up the Collingwood list and operations
- What she learned working as a coach and Bodyfit owner
- Meg's mentors along her journey
- Her advice on how to prepare for AFL football
- Plans for post-footy career and what she's looking forward to

Jul 4, 2023 • 54min
#248 - John Kiely, Senior Lecturer in Performance and Innovation, PE and Sports Sciences
Highlights from the episode:
- The role of psychological factors that influence athletic performance
- Are soft skills trainable?
- How to design effective coaching sessions
- Athlete recovery for in-season
- Building awareness and doing mental warmup before starting a training session

Jul 2, 2023 • 19min
#84 - What AFL players do for recovery
Highlights from the episode:
- Developing a library of effective recovery techniques
- Have a process you stick to
- What do you believe works best
- Free Workout: Cross-training swim program
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

Jun 29, 2023 • 5min
#247 - Jaspa Fletcher, Midfielder at Brisbane Lions
Highlights from the episode:
- His key focuses leading to gameday and his favorite recovery methods
- How he develops an elite lifestyle and the importance of hydration and nutrition
- How Jaspa focused on developing his full body strength with wrestling and boxing
- Importance of hitting max speed for preparing for a game
- How Jaspa approaches his rehabilitation and draft year

Jun 27, 2023 • 47min
#246 - Gerard O’Donnell, Coach Education Manager at Athletics Ireland
Highlights from the episode:
- Key components for acceleration in team sport athletes
- Training methods and drills he uses to improve top speed, allowing players to reach their maximum velocity on the field
- Common misconceptions in acceleration training
- What does a top-speed training session look like
- Exercises for improving acceleration and power

Jun 25, 2023 • 24min
#83 - Top 10 Tips to Get Better at AFL
Highlights from the episode:
- Write down clear goals
- Breakdown and divide the skill of the topic into smaller parts
- Practice regularly
- Active learning: take notes, ask, and apply
- Seek to understand
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

Jun 22, 2023 • 7min
#245 - Joel Hocking, High Performance Coach at St Monica’s College Epping
Highlights from the episode:
- How his love for S&C started
- Fave ways to develop himself and his practical skills as an S&C coach
- Habits to develop for athletes
- Advice on how to structure your training for pre-season
- His favorite athletes to work with and his reason
- Joel’s pet peeves and how he spends his day off
- What an S&C coach job looks like in a high school setting

Jun 20, 2023 • 42min
#244 - Ben Griffin, Manager at RealFITT Strength & Conditioning
Highlights from the episode:
- How RealFitt built their client base
- What social media platform to start marketing your brand
- How Ben manages his content ideas and how underrated reposting content is
- How to create engaging content and standout
- Things he wished he knew when starting a business

Jun 18, 2023 • 20min
#82 - Mastering the AFL Marathon - 6 Essential Strategies for Prolonging Your Playing Career
Highlights from the episode:
- Emphasize key compound movements in the gym
- Incorporate explosive movements
- Maintain an aerobic stimulus
- Recovery
- Look after your body’s health
- Consult experts
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

Jun 15, 2023 • 7min
#243 - Anthony Koutoufides, Founder of Kouta Fit and an AFL Legend
Highlights from the episode:
- People who influenced his footy career
- How to improve your power and speed as an athlete
- How his sports psychologist helped his mental game
- How to relax before a big game
- The most important skill a midfielder
- What his pre-game routine looks like
- The most important quality for a team captain