In this episode of the Pacey Performance Podcast, I am speaking to Head of Performance at Feyenoord Rotterdam, Rick Cost. After speaking to previous podcast guest, Callum Walsh about how much of an influence Rick has been on his practice, it was essential to get him on the podcast. After winning the Olympics with Netherlands field hockey, Rick switched sports, however, he brought a lot of what he had learned with him. He clearly has made a huge impression at Feyenoord and has developed a deep understanding of the demands of the game. In this episode we get a glimpse into the inner workings of 15 times winners of the Eredivisie. In this episode, we discussed... Who is Rick Cost (background, experience and current role)? Periodisation Philosophy Influences Rotation of players Philosophy Objective vs subjective decision making Results and evidence of success Small sided games ...vs full sided games Benchmarks Linking physical and technical outputs Quality, intensity and volume Rick can be found on LinkedIn HERE. Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following on Twitter @strengthofsci or visiting strengthofscience.com. Enjoy PP

In this episode of the Pacey Performance Podcast, I am speaking to Head of Sports Data Science at S.L Benfica, Sudarshan Gopaladesikan. Despite me making a hash of saying, Suds' name as we went live, this episode was an incredibly insightful episode with someone who is at the forefront of data science in our industry. Patrick Ward described him at 'one of the best mathematicians' he knows. Coming from Microsoft and consulting with some of the biggest sporting organisations in the world, to working with Benfica, Suds gives a fascinating insight into the inner workings of a data science department in football. In this episode, we discussed... Who is Sudarshan Gopaladesikan (background, experience and current roles)? Data science (what it is and isn't) Working in sport as a data scientist Linking data science with sports science & coaching Most common questions from sports scientists Combination of technical and tactical analysis Decision making (brief and incorporated into the general discussion) Data visualisation and communication Key concepts The importance of 'speaking coach' when delivering messages Gamification of sports coaching and training Suds can be found on Twitter @suds_g This episode of the Pacey Performance Podcast is sponsored by Output Sports – a Swiss Army Knife for optimising off field performance. Output Sports have developed a one-stop portable tool for comprehensive, valid and reliable athlete assessment. You can learn more about Output on outputsports.com or follow them on social media on @OutputSports where you can schedule a demo. This episode of the Pacey Performance Podcast is sponsored by Hawkin Dynamics, the team behind the world's only wireless force plate system. Hawkin Dynamics can be found at hawkindynamics.com and you can follow them on Twitter @hawkindynamics This episode is also sponsored by IMeasureU. IMeasureU are a world leading inertial platform to precisely quantify body movement and workload metrics in the field. IMeasureU can be found at imeasureu.com and you can follow them on Twitter @imeasureu. This episode is also sponsored by Omegawave, the only non-invasive readiness technology to assess both brain and heart. Omegawave can be found at omegawave.com and you can follow them on Twitter @omegawave. This episode is also sponsored by Fusion Sport, the global leader in human performance solutions for elite sport, military, and workplace health. Fusion Sport’s data management and analytics platform, Smartabase, is designed to provide elite human performance organizations with a one stop shop solution for the holistic performance management of their teams. Visit www.fusionsport.com/smartabase to learn more about how Smartabase can help turn your data into a winning advantage. Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following on Twitter @strengthofsci or visiting strengthofscience.com. Enjoy PP

In this episode of the Pacey Performance Podcast, I am speaking to Head of Physical Performance at Leicester Tigers, Aled Walters. I have only had a handful of World Cup winners on the podcast but this episode features one of them. Aled won the Rugby World Cup in 2019 with the Springboks and it is this monumental achievement that frames this episode. South Africa were far from the best resourced team and certainly weren't favourites. So what did they do differently? What made them so successful as a group? Aled answers both those questions in this episode. In this episode we discussed... Who is Aled Walters? (background, education and current role) Your physical preparation philosophy  Conditioning the players to meet the demands of the sport AND the playing style Wrestling for rugby  Winning the world cup Challenges you overcame during that tournament Getting the players ready for that tournament and what came before it What made you different from other teams Recovery at the world cup Aled can be found on Twitter @aledwalters   This episode of the Pacey Performance Podcast is sponsored by Perch. Engineered at MIT, Perch uses small and mobile cameras to monitor and manage weight room performance without detracting from it. Perch is velocity based training. No strings attached. For exclusive deals and offers, tell them Rob sent you by going to perch.fit. This episode of the Pacey Performance Podcast is sponsored by Hawkin Dynamics, the team behind the worlds only wireless force plate system. Hawkin Dynamics can be found at hawkindynamics.com and you can follow them on Twitter @hawkindynamics This episode is also sponsored by IMeasureU. IMeasureU are a world leading inertial platform to precisely quantify body movement and workload metrics in the field. IMeasureU can be found at imeasureu.com and you can follow them on Twitter @imeasureu. This episode is sponsored by BLK BOX, leaders in performance training equipment & facility design. BLK BOX manufacture and distribute a full range of strength training equipment across Europe from their Headquarters in Belfast, Northern Ireland. BLK BOK can be found at blkboxfitness.com and you can follow them on Twitter @blkboxfitness and Instagram @blkboxfitness. This episode is also sponsored by Kitman Labs. Kitman partners with leading sports teams to achieve consistent success, on and off the pitch. Over 500 teams across the globe use Kitman Labs' Athlete Optimization System to simplify daily operations and rely on the company's unique analytics to uncover the factors that influence success. You can find Kitman Labs at kitmanlabs.com and on Twitter @kitmanlabs. Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following on Twitter @strengthofsci or visiting strengthofscience.com below. Enjoy PP

In this episode of the Pacey Performance Podcast, I am speaking to Fitness Coach at the Swedish national football team, Paul Balsom. Paul has almost 40 years experience working in our industry and is a true pioneer. He is heading up the UEFA fitness advisory board and is also a consultant for King Power (the owners of Leicester City and Leuven). This episode is framed around what UEFA is doing to provide a fitness framework for technical coaches through their qualifications. However, we also get an insight into what is coming down the track from UEFA as they plan to build qualifications for fitness staff which would sit on the same framework. So for anyone working in football, this is definitely something to keep an eye on. I should also give a huge shout-out to Chris Barnes who introduced me to Paul. In this episode, we discussed... Who is Paul Balsom (background, experience and current roles)? UEFA Coach education (Grassroots to Pro) – Integrated approach What are UEFA doing to support this at all levels and also specifically for the women’s game? What does the modern coach working in professional football need to know about fitness? Integration of technology Process of choosing technology What can't we measure that has the potential to change practice? The 24/7 lifestyle for players and coaches Increased touch points = increased noise? Empowering players (education) Support staff What happened to the old-fashioned fitness coach? How much does a practitioner working in football need to know about football? Paul can be found on Twitter @balsompaul This episode of the Pacey Performance Podcast is sponsored by Output Sports – a Swiss Army Knife for optimising off field performance. Output Sports have developed a one-stop portable tool for comprehensive, valid and reliable athlete assessment. You can learn more about Output on outputsports.com or follow them on social media on @OutputSports where you can schedule a demo. This episode of the Pacey Performance Podcast is sponsored by Hawkin Dynamics, the team behind the world's only wireless force plate system. Hawkin Dynamics can be found at hawkindynamics.com and you can follow them on Twitter @hawkindynamics This episode is also sponsored by IMeasureU. IMeasureU are a world leading inertial platform to precisely quantify body movement and workload metrics in the field. IMeasureU can be found at imeasureu.com and you can follow them on Twitter @imeasureu. This episode is also sponsored by Omegawave, the only non-invasive readiness technology to assess both brain and heart. Omegawave can be found at omegawave.com and you can follow them on Twitter @omegawave. This episode is also sponsored by Fusion Sport, the global leader in human performance solutions for elite sport, military, and workplace health. Fusion Sport’s data management and analytics platform, Smartabase, is designed to provide elite human performance organizations with a one stop shop solution for the holistic performance management of their teams. Visit www.fusionsport.com/smartabase to learn more about how Smartabase can help turn your data into a winning advantage. Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following on Twitter @strengthofsci or visiting strengthofscience.com. Enjoy PP

In this episode of the Pacey Performance Podcast, I am speaking to Chief Performance Engineer at Statspace, Taylor Johnson. Taylor came on the podcast 18 months ago to talk about esports. Esports has never related to performance and performance coaching, however, part 1 with Taylor completely changed my mind on that. It's an incredibly interesting space and one that is growing exponentially. The opportunity for performance coaches to have an impact on a population that is hungry, passionate, and has great earning potential is huge. If you think that you view performance differently from other coaches, I would urge you to listen to this podcast. In this episode we discussed... Who is Taylor Johnson? (background, education and current role[s]) Esports performance market What is expected of a performance coach in e-sports Is this S&C as people know it?   Performance coach > esports performance coach Pivoting into this area What coaches can bring What skills need to be developed Performance coach > other industries  The future of esports on the performance side   Taylor can be found on Twitter @CoachT_Johnson    This episode of the Pacey Performance Podcast is sponsored by Perch. Engineered at MIT, Perch uses small and mobile cameras to monitor and manage weight room performance without detracting from it. Perch is velocity based training. No strings attached. For exclusive deals and offers, tell them Rob sent you by going to perch.fit. This episode of the Pacey Performance Podcast is sponsored by Hawkin Dynamics, the team behind the worlds only wireless force plate system. Hawkin Dynamics can be found at hawkindynamics.com and you can follow them on Twitter @hawkindynamics This episode is also sponsored by IMeasureU. IMeasureU are a world leading inertial platform to precisely quantify body movement and workload metrics in the field. IMeasureU can be found at imeasureu.com and you can follow them on Twitter @imeasureu. This episode is sponsored by BLK BOX, leaders in performance training equipment & facility design. BLK BOX manufacture and distribute a full range of strength training equipment across Europe from their Headquarters in Belfast, Northern Ireland. BLK BOK can be found at blkboxfitness.com and you can follow them on Twitter @blkboxfitness and Instagram @blkboxfitness. This episode is also sponsored by Kitman Labs. Kitman partners with leading sports teams to achieve consistent success, on and off the pitch. Over 500 teams across the globe use Kitman Labs' Athlete Optimization System to simplify daily operations and rely on the company's unique analytics to uncover the factors that influence success. You can find Kitman Labs at kitmanlabs.com and on Twitter @kitmanlabs. Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following on Twitter @strengthofsci or strengthofscience.com. Enjoy PP

In this episode of the Pacey Performance Podcast, I am speaking to Industrial Professorial Fellow at the University of Birmingham, Barry Drust. Barry has been on the hit list for some time but I didn't realise that he would take the title for the best job title ever in one fell swoop. Barry has an incredible amount of experience, both in the applied and academic world. He was one of the first sports scientists in football here in the UK alongside Chris Barnes and a number of others. To chat with Barry again was a pleasure and we dived into some really interesting topics which are outlined below. In this episode, we discussed... Who is Barry Drust (background, experience and current roles)? Sports science Where is sports science research at? Gaps in education Evidenced based practice What is grossly overhyped in sports science Doctoral training Why pursue a PhD? Is it becoming the new MSc Various ways you can get one? Practice-based research/evidence-based practice – is it important? How do you do it? What might it do for your practice? Barriers to PhD’s? Characteristics needed to complete a PhD? ...and what is overrated? Barry can be found on Twitter @BARRYD22 This episode of the Pacey Performance Podcast is sponsored by Output Sports – a Swiss Army Knife for optimising off field performance. Output Sports have developed a one-stop portable tool for comprehensive, valid and reliable athlete assessment. You can learn more about Output on outputsports.com or follow them on social media on @OutputSports where you can schedule a demo. This episode of the Pacey Performance Podcast is sponsored by Hawkin Dynamics, the team behind the world's only wireless force plate system. Hawkin Dynamics can be found at hawkindynamics.com and you can follow them on Twitter @hawkindynamics This episode is also sponsored by IMeasureU. IMeasureU are a world leading inertial platform to precisely quantify body movement and workload metrics in the field. IMeasureU can be found at imeasureu.com and you can follow them on Twitter @imeasureu. This episode is also sponsored by Omegawave, the only non-invasive readiness technology to assess both brain and heart. Omegawave can be found at omegawave.com and you can follow them on Twitter @omegawave. This episode is also sponsored by Fusion Sport, the global leader in human performance solutions for elite sport, military, and workplace health. Fusion Sport’s data management and analytics platform, Smartabase, is designed to provide elite human performance organizations with a one stop shop solution for the holistic performance management of their teams. Visit www.fusionsport.com/smartabase to learn more about how Smartabase can help turn your data into a winning advantage. Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following on Twitter @strengthofsci or visiting strengthofscience.com. Enjoy PP

In this episode of the Pacey Performance Podcast, I am speaking to Sports Performance Scientist, Robin Thorpe. This is part 2 of my chat with Robin so if you haven't checked out part 1, you can do so HERE. In this episode, we move away from his time at Manchester United and focus on his time working with Olympic sprinters and the topic that Robin has become world-renowned for, performance recovery. The discussion around speed training for team sports may ruffle a few feathers but it's all in the aid of creating better discussion. In this episode we discussed... Who is Robin Thorpe (background, education, and current role) Where the industry is at Specialist generalist Are we losing sight of good science? Speed training in team sports Is it becoming an obsession? Performance recovery Why leave Man United to work in Olympic sport? Robin can be found on Twitter @DrRobinThorpe and on Instagram @dr.robinthorpe   This episode of the Pacey Performance Podcast is sponsored by Perch. Engineered at MIT, Perch uses small and mobile cameras to monitor and manage weight room performance without detracting from it. Perch is velocity based training. No strings attached. For exclusive deals and offers, tell them Rob sent you by going to pacey.perch.fit/. This episode of the Pacey Performance Podcast is sponsored by Hawkin Dynamics, the team behind the worlds only wireless force plate system. Hawkin Dynamics can be found at hawkindynamics.com and you can follow them on Twitter @hawkindynamics This episode is also sponsored by IMeasureU. IMeasureU are a world leading inertial platform to precisely quantify body movement and workload metrics in the field. IMeasureU can be found at imeasureu.com and you can follow them on Twitter @imeasureu. This episode is sponsored by BLK BOX, leaders in performance training equipment & facility design. BLK BOX manufacture and distribute a full range of strength training equipment across Europe from their Headquarters in Belfast, Northern Ireland. BLK BOK can be found at blkboxfitness.com and you can follow them on Twitter @blkboxfitness and Instagram @blkboxfitness. This episode is also sponsored by Kitman Labs. Kitman partners with leading sports teams to achieve consistent success, on and off the pitch. Over 500 teams across the globe use Kitman Labs' Athlete Optimization System to simplify daily operations and rely on the company's unique analytics to uncover the factors that influence success. You can find Kitman Labs at kitmanlabs.com and on Twitter @kitmanlabs. Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following on Twitter @strengthofsci or visiting strengthofscience.com. Enjoy PP

In this episode of the Pacey Performance Podcast, I am speaking to Sports Performance Scientist, Robin Thorpe. Robin spent the best part of a decade at the biggest football club in the world. Whilst there he worked under one of, if not the most decorated managers of all time. He also worked with some of the most recognisable players in the world. How could this not be an incredible episode, and it absolutely was. So good that we had to split it over two episodes, this being the first one. As well as talking about his time at Manchester United, we also talked about what he has become world-renowned for and that's recovery and regeneration. Give yourself an hour and sit back and enjoy! In this episode, we discussed... Who is Robin Thorpe (background, experience and current roles)? Time at Manchester United Interview with Sir Alex Ferguson His first role Leadership under some of the biggest managers in the world Athlete recovery Enhancing recovery in a congested fixture list Integrating player monitoring Academia vs applied practitioner and the importance of 'science' as a sports scientist Robin can be found on Twitter @DrRobinThorpe This episode of the Pacey Performance Podcast is sponsored by Output Sports – a Swiss Army Knife for optimising off field performance. Output Sports have developed a one-stop portable tool for comprehensive, valid and reliable athlete assessment. You can learn more about Output on outputsports.com or follow them on social media on @OutputSports where you can schedule a demo. This episode of the Pacey Performance Podcast is sponsored by Hawkin Dynamics, the team behind the world's only wireless force plate system. Hawkin Dynamics can be found at hawkindynamics.com and you can follow them on Twitter @hawkindynamics This episode is also sponsored by IMeasureU. IMeasureU are a world leading inertial platform to precisely quantify body movement and workload metrics in the field. IMeasureU can be found at imeasureu.com and you can follow them on Twitter @imeasureu. This episode is also sponsored by Omegawave, the only non-invasive readiness technology to assess both brain and heart. Omegawave can be found at omegawave.com and you can follow them on Twitter @omegawave. This episode is also sponsored by Athlete Monitoring the world’s most comprehensive, versatile and cost-effective Athlete Health & Performance Management platform for elite sports. You can find their website at athletemonitoring.com or on Twitter @athletemonitor Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following on Twitter @strengthofsci or visiting strengthofscience.com. Enjoy PP

In this episode of the Pacey Performance Podcast, I am speaking to Senior Strength and Conditioning Coach at the Queensland Academy of Sport, Chris Gaviglio. As well as his regular job, Chris is the creator of the Sports Rehab Tornequay and also the Strength and Conditioning Coach for the Queensland state of origin team. Clearly, Chris is an incredibly busy man so it was a pleasure to sit down with him and talk blood flow restriction (BFR) training. With more BFR devices on the market and its application spanning wider than just an arm pump and rehabilitation, I thought it was time to get an expert on, and Chris is definitely that. If you enjoyed this episode, you may like this episode on the same topic with Stephen Patterson. In this episode we discussed... Who is Chris Gaviglio (background, education, and current role) Blood flow restriction training What is BFR? BFR pre-implementation checklist Strength development Pressure recommendations Position & exercises Isometrics & BFR Low load BFR vs high load resistance training Hamstring protocols Conditioning Adaptations Pressure & protocols Aerobic & sprinting Rehabilitation Achilles Bone healing Chris can be found on Twitter @ChrisGaviglio and on Instagram @chrisgaviglio   This episode of the Pacey Performance Podcast is sponsored by Perch. Engineered at MIT, Perch uses small and mobile cameras to monitor and manage weight room performance without detracting from it. Perch is velocity based training. No strings attached. For exclusive deals and offers, tell them Rob sent you by going to pacey.perch.fit/. This episode of the Pacey Performance Podcast is sponsored by Hawkin Dynamics, the team behind the worlds only wireless force plate system. Hawkin Dynamics can be found at hawkindynamics.com and you can follow them on Twitter @hawkindynamics This episode is also sponsored by IMeasureU. IMeasureU are a world leading inertial platform to precisely quantify body movement and workload metrics in the field. IMeasureU can be found at imeasureu.com and you can follow them on Twitter @imeasureu. This episode is sponsored by BLK BOX, leaders in performance training equipment & facility design. BLK BOX manufacture and distribute a full range of strength training equipment across Europe from their Headquarters in Belfast, Northern Ireland. BLK BOK can be found at blkboxfitness.com and you can follow them on Twitter @blkboxfitness and Instagram @blkboxfitness. This episode is also sponsored by Kitman Labs. Kitman partners with leading sports teams to achieve consistent success, on and off the pitch. Over 500 teams across the globe use Kitman Labs' Athlete Optimization System to simplify daily operations and rely on the company's unique analytics to uncover the factors that influence success. You can find Kitman Labs at kitmanlabs.com and on Twitter @kitmanlabs. Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following on Twitter @strengthofsci or visiting strengthofscience.com. Enjoy PP

In this episode of the Pacey Performance Podcast, I am speaking to Head of Strength & Conditioning at the Singapore Sport Institute, Danny Lum. There has been a distinct lack of information on isometric training, despite its reemergence in the literature and in practice. That's about to change as this episode with Danny dives deep into his research and practice in this area. Alex Natera has been a big proponent of isometric training and it was Alex that introduced me to Danny and I am so glad he did. In this episode, we discussed... Who is Danny Lum (background, experience and current roles)? Isometric testing Why use isometric tests? What testing options do we have? Links to dynamic performance Isometric training Why programme isometric exercises? Creating overload in sport-specific positions Your checklist when trying to get 'specific' Programming for different outcomes (strength, hypertrophy etc) Manipulating variables and how this alters outcomes Intensity Duration and rate of contraction Joint angles Comparable to other methods Danny can be found on Twitter @DannyLum82 This episode of the Pacey Performance Podcast is sponsored by Output Sports – a Swiss Army Knife for optimising off field performance. Output Sports have developed a one-stop portable tool for comprehensive, valid and reliable athlete assessment. You can learn more about Output on outputsports.com or follow them on social media on @OutputSports where you can schedule a demo. This episode is also sponsored by IMeasureU. IMeasureU are a world leading inertial platform to precisely quantify body movement and workload metrics in the field. IMeasureU can be found at imeasureu.com and you can follow them on Twitter @imeasureu. This episode is also sponsored by Omegawave, the only non-invasive readiness technology to assess both brain and heart. Omegawave can be found at omegawave.com and you can follow them on Twitter @omegawave. This episode is also sponsored by Athlete Monitoring the world’s most comprehensive, versatile and cost-effective Athlete Health & Performance Management platform for elite sports. You can find their website at athletemonitoring.com or on Twitter @athletemonitor Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following on Twitter @strengthofsci or visiting strengthofscience.com. Enjoy PP