Pacey Performance Podcast

In this episode of the Pacey Performance Podcast, Rob delves into the evolving world of athlete support with Founder and CEO of 292 Performance Ben Rosenblatt and Managing Director, INTRA Performance Group James Collins. This discussion pivots around the growing trend of athletes assembling personalized support teams to elevate their performance and extend their careers. Ben and James, with their extensive backgrounds in sports nutrition, strength conditioning, and sports biomechanics, share their insights into how athletes are increasingly seeking specialized, interdisciplinary support. They emphasize the craft of performance support and the vital role of trade skills in enhancing athlete capabilities. Key discussion points include the importance of contextualizing support for each athlete, managing communication efficiently, and aligning team expectations. The conversation also covers the adaptation of scientific approaches to fit individual athlete needs, the benefits of cross-disciplinary knowledge sharin

In this episode of the Pacey Performance Podcast, Rob talks to Head of Athletic Performance and recent World Cup winner with the Springboks, Andy Edwards. He emphasizes the importance of creating a close-knit team atmosphere, much like a family, where hard work and high standards are the norm. Edwards talks about his start at Saracens before moving onto the Springboks, and how maintaining consistency, along with making small but impactful tweaks in training, contributed significantly to their success. Andy gives a masterclass in balancing data-driven decision-making with gut instincts, emphasizing the importance of understanding players beyond mere numbers. He shares insights into the pressures and exhilarations of leading the Springboks post-World Cup victory and the challenges of maintaining success in the international arena. Central to the Springboks' World Cup victory were the strategic adjustments in conditioning, focusing on specific rugby positions, and trust-building through small-sided games. Edward

In this episode of the Pacey Performance Podcast, Rob is joined by Tom Tombleson, Senior Strength and Conditioning Coach with England Rugby. A significant part of their conversation focuses on the innovative use of the warm-up as a movement screen. This technique, honed through his extensive experience in various coaching roles, including his time at Super Rugby with the New South Wales Waratahs, allows for a detailed analysis of each player's physical capabilities and movement patterns. Tom emphasizes the importance of this method in individualizing player training. By assessing players during the warm-up, he can tailor exercises to their specific needs, enhancing overall performance and reducing the risk of injury. This approach represents a shift from traditional warm-up routines, integrating functional movement assessment into the very start of training sessions. Tom shares how this strategy not only optimizes physical readiness for training but also serves as an ongoing tool to monitor player progress an

In this episode of the Pacey Performance Podcast, Rob welcomes Gavin Pratt, the Director of Strength and Conditioning at the UFC Performance Institute. This conversation offers an exclusive look into the world of neck strength training and testing protocols for elite UFC fighters. Gavin Pratt, with his extensive background in strength and conditioning, delves into the critical role of neck strength in the sport of mixed martial arts. He shares his expert insights on the unique challenges faced by UFC fighters and the innovative approaches employed at the UFC Performance Institute to enhance neck strength and prevent injuries. Gavin details the frequency, location and mechanisms behind neck injuries suffered across the UFC, highlighting the importance of more dedicated research and innovation in this area. Listeners will discover the importance of neck training in mitigating the risks of concussions and neck injuries, which are prevalent in combat sports. Gavin discusses the specific exercises and equipment us

Steph Mock, Assistant AD for Sports Performance at the University of Pittsburgh is on this week's episode of the Pacey Performance Podcast. Steph traced her journey from high school sports to a collegiate volleyball career at West Virginia University. She later transitioned into strength conditioning, working at Clemson University and Mississippi State University, before returning to her alma mater. Her mentors, especially Rick Franzblau, played a crucial role in her professional development​​. The discussion turns to the experience of being a woman in the predominantly male field of strength and conditioning. Steph highlights the importance of viewing the role as one of leadership, emphasizing skills such as relationship building and managing complex situations, which are gender-neutral. She acknowledges the influence of female leaders within the University of Pittsburgh, including the Chancellor and the Athletic Director, in her career development. This segment underscores the evolution in the field, where

In the Pacey Performance Podcast, host Rob Pacey engages with Aaron Cunanan, the Director of Applied Sports Science for the Cincinnati Reds, delving into various facets of his professional journey and perspectives on sports science. Cunanan begins by acknowledging the influence of mentors like Duncan French, Jeff Head, and John Wagle, who have significantly impacted his development both as a professional and an individual. Cunanan's career transition from a weightlifting athlete to a coach marks a pivotal point in his narrative. His initial coaching experiences under Dr. Kyle Pierce at the International Weightlifting Federation provided him with valuable insights into systematic and process-oriented coaching in Olympic sports. A key part of the conversation revolves around Cunanan's approach to training and conditioning. He explains the importance of an adaptation-based approach, emphasizing understanding training principles over specific methods. This philosophy was shaped by his diverse experiences, includi

Hailu featured on episode #446 of the Pacey Performance Podcast. This #bitesize episode takes a great clip from that episode where he discussed - The difference between folding and sitting Coaching the skill of change of direction How to coach the reacceleration after a deceleration Check out the full episode with Hailu here - https://www.sportsmith.co/listen/improving-change-of-direction-ability-deceleration-drills-and-coaching-transitional-movements/ This episode is supported by RockDaisy, the only FREE AMS on the market. AMS Lite features reporting capabilities, questionnaires and forms, alerts and communication, data sharing, data visualisation and calendar views.

The podcast features Aaron Walsh, a mental skills performance expert, discussing the importance and integration of mental skills in sports performance. Aaron, with a background in sports and a passion for understanding performance, delves into the mental aspects that differentiate successful athletes from others. His journey, which includes experiences in the US and New Zealand, highlights the significance of mental skills in sports, particularly in high-pressure situations. Walsh emphasizes that while physical and technical skills are crucial, the mental aspect often becomes the differentiating factor at the highest levels of sport. He categorizes sports into those where athletes initiate movement and those where they respond to it, noting that sports requiring initiation of movement, like golf or penalty kicks in football, have a higher mental demand. Walsh argues that mental skills should be treated like any other skill, with a focus on knowledge, tools, and support for development. He also touches on the

This week on the Pacey Performance Podcast, Rob is joined by three amazing guests, all with incredible amounts of experience developing speed with youth athletes. Alan Murdoch, John Garrish and Micheál Cahill kick off this episode with one of the key questions and one that is talked about a lot, what are the differences when training speed with youth athletes versus adult athletes. Should we be as strict with our technical models? Do we even need technical models? Alan shares his experiences with us and gives us a great place to kick off this conversation. We look into the tips and tricks to coach these key positions so you can implement the information tomorrow with your athletes. Another common scenario working with all athletes but especially youth athletes is that they are normally coming to us in large groups. But how do we maximise their time and get the biggest learning and training effect that we can? John shares exactly how he does this with his students at North Broward Preparatory School. In the se

Jordan featured on episode #452 of the Pacey Performance Podcast. This #bitesize episode takes a great clip from that episode where he discussed - How to ensure your contract is suitable for pro sport What its like to lose your job Getting professional advice should the worst happen Check out the full episode with Jordan here - https://www.sportsmith.co/listen/being-the-managers-guy-and-the-realities-of-losing-your-job-in-pro-sport/ This episode is supported by RockDaisy, the only FREE AMS on the market. AMS Lite features reporting capabilities, questionnaires and forms, alerts and communication, data sharing, data visualisation and calendar views.

This episode of the Pacey Performance Podcast sees Rob speaking to Head of late stage rehab & sports science at Isokinetic Medical Group, London, Filippo Picinini. The discussion delves into the stages of on-field rehabilitation. Stage one focuses on linear movements, helping players restore confidence and familiarize themselves with the environment. The emphasis is on separating conditioning drills from basic technical drills. The transition from stage one to two is based on criteria like restored strength, normalized running mechanics on a treadmill, and movement quality. Filippo emphasizes the importance of movement quality, noting that players often struggle with basic movements, especially after long-term injuries. Later in the episode, Filippo details how he progresses athletes into stage two and then through to three, four and five. Throughout the rehabilitation process, Filippo highlights the importance of monitoring players using GPS technology to track metrics like total distance, moderate and h

Nick featured on episode #221 of the Pacey Performance Podcast. This #bitesize episode takes a great clip from that episode where he discussed - The importance of having a clear CPD plan How to choose a mentor Do you even need a mentor? Check out the full episode with Nick here - https://www.sportsmith.co/listen/pacey-performance-podcast-221-nick-grantham-part-2/ This episode is supported by RockDaisy, the only FREE AMS on the market. AMS Lite features reporting capabilities, questionnaires and forms, alerts and communication, data sharing, data visualisation and calendar views.

In this episode of the Pacey Performance Podcast, Matt Buckthorpe, a senior lecturer in strength, conditioning, and physiology, delves into the intricate journey of ACL rehabilitation. Matt's expertise stems from his extensive experience with Isokinetic Medical Group and a profound interest in sports medicine, particularly ACL injuries. The discussion navigates through the critical phases of ACL recovery, emphasizing the importance of understanding the injury mechanism. Matt highlights the initial approach post-injury, where professional athletes often undergo surgery within the first week. Matt outlines the rehabilitation stages: early, mid, late, and return-to-sport, each marked by specific recovery objectives and criteria. The early stage focuses on managing pain, swelling, and regaining motion, crucial for normal gait. Here, strategies like neuromuscular electrical stimulation and blood flow restriction training play a vital role due to limitations in conventional strength training post-surgery. The mid-s

In this episode of the Pacey Performance Podcast, Senior Adjunct Fellow at University of Technology Sydney, Tania Spiteri discussed the pivotal considerations surrounding agility and change of direction (COD) training and testing. Tania brings forth her extensive experience, ranging from grassroots to elite and Olympic level athletes, to provide listeners with a comprehensive understanding of these crucial athletic components. Tania delineates the difference between agility and COD, establishing that while both are integral to athletic performance, they are distinctly different in their application and assessment. Agility is defined as the ability to alter velocity or direction in response to a stimulus, thereby incorporating a decision-making element. In contrast, COD pertains to the physical and technical capacity of an athlete to change direction, assessed through pre-planned drills, devoid of a decision-making component. The discussion further delves into the constraints that influence agility performance

Warren featured on episode #384 of the Pacey Performance Podcast. This #bitesize episode takes a great clip from that episode where he discussed - The difference between agility and change if direction Why testing agility is difficult What options we have for testing agility Check out the full episode with Warren here - https://www.sportsmith.co/listen/agility-training-creating-drills-that-transfer-to-on-field-performance/ This episode is supported by RockDaisy, the only FREE AMS on the market. AMS Lite features reporting capabilities, questionnaires and forms, alerts and communication, data sharing, data visualisation and calendar views.

In the latest episode of the Pacey Performance Podcast, host Rob Pacey welcomes Alberto Filter, a renowned football researcher hailing from Spain. The conversation delves deep into the intricacies of curvilinear sprinting, a critical yet often overlooked aspect of football training. Alberto reveals a compelling statistic: a vast majority, about 85%, of sprints in football are curvilinear rather than straight. This insight underscores the need for training regimens to mirror the actual demands of the sport more closely. Alberto introduces an innovative training approach using the arc of the penalty box. This method, he explains, provides the optimal angle for curvilinear sprinting, ensuring that players are prepared for real-match scenarios. Moving from the field to the gym, Alberto suggests specific exercises tailored to enhance curvilinear sprinting capabilities. The landmine and wall drills stand out as his top recommendations, designed to target the unique biomechanics of this type of sprinting. Beyond the

In the latest episode of the Pacey Performance Podcast, host Rob Pacey engages in a comprehensive discussion with Jonathan "Jono" Weakley, a leading figure in the realm of Velocity-Based Training (VBT). Jono, with his vast expertise and experience, offers listeners a deep dive into the intricacies and evolution of VBT, elucidating its pivotal role in contemporary athletic training. Contrary to popular belief, Jono emphasizes that VBT isn't a newfound concept. In fact, coaches and trainers have been tapping into its principles for decades. However, the game-changer has been the integration of modern technology, which has made the application of VBT more precise, efficient, and widely accessible to trainers and athletes alike. Central to the discussion are the three foundational tenets of VBT. Firstly, there's an inverse relationship between the weight of a barbell and its speed. As the weight increases, the speed of lifting decreases. Secondly, fatigue plays a significant role. As an athlete tires, the velocit

Matt featured on episode #459 of the Pacey Performance Podcast. This #bitesize episode takes a great clip from that episode where he discussed - What are the benefits of microdosing How we can utilise those benefits effectively Using microdosing during fixture congestion Check out the full episode with Matt here - https://www.sportsmith.co/listen/how-to-implement-micro-dosing-strategies-in-team-sports/ This episode is supported by RockDaisy, the only FREE AMS on the market. AMS Lite features reporting capabilities, questionnaires and forms, alerts and communication, data sharing, data visualisation and calendar views.

In this episode of the Pacey Performance Podcast, Head of Sports Science at Everton FC, Jack Nayler. Jack comes on the podcast having spent the last 10 years at Chelsea, PSG, Real Madrid, Celtic and Everton. An incredible CV that many in the industry would love to have. So we dive into what he has learnt from working at these huge clubs with the huge players that play for them. Jack reflects on his experiences working with players, noting that some have an innate understanding of their bodies and their limits. He believes it's essential to recognize and trust those players who have this insight. Jack also underscores the importance of communication, teaching players to understand their bodies better, and always being observant. He recounts his time with Alvaro Arbeloa at Real Madrid, emphasizing Arbeloa's exceptional drive and commitment to training even when not in the starting lineup. Jack admires such players for their unwavering motivation, even if they don't possess the same natural talent as others. Mor

Nicol featured on episode #388 of the Pacey Performance Podcast. This #bitesize episode takes a great clip from that episode where he discussed - The value of screening athletes to understand injury risk What screens they perform at Irish Rugby The value these screens have on injury rates Check out the full episode with Nicol here - https://www.sportsmith.co/listen/what-injury-prevention-strategies-work/ This episode is supported by RockDaisy, the only FREE AMS on the market. AMS Lite features reporting capabilities, questionnaires and forms, alerts and communication, data sharing, data visualisation and calendar views.