Science for Sport Podcast

How much does the surface beneath an athlete’s feet really affect performance and injury risk? This week, Richard Graves is joined by Professor John Sorochan from the University of Tennessee and Alan Thomson, USA Sales Director at SIS Pitches, to explore the science behind the playing surfaces used at the highest levels of sport. From natural grass and artificial turf to the growing use of hybrid pitches, John and Alan explain what actually happens when an athlete interacts with a playing surface – and why the relationship between the player, their footwear and the surface itself matters. John takes us inside the testing process, explaining how researchers measure factors such as surface hardness, traction, stability and consistency, and how those measurements help inform decisions around player performance and safety. The conversation also explores the rapid development of hybrid surfaces. Alan explains how introducing a small percentage of synthetic fibre into natural grass can reinforce the pitch, reduce surface damage and help maintain more consistent playing conditions across demanding schedules. The pair also discuss one of the biggest challenges in modern sport: creating elite-level natural playing surfaces inside stadiums that are increasingly expected to host football, American football, concerts and other major events throughout the year. Drawing on their work around the 2026 FIFA World Cup, they reveal how surfaces were developed to perform consistently across hugely different environments – from the heat and humidity of Miami to altitude in Mexico and cooler conditions in Canada. They also look at the debate around artificial turf in the NFL, what research can tell us about hybrid alternatives, and where playing-surface technology could go next. In this episode you will learn Why player safety depends on the interaction between the athlete, footwear and playing surface What researchers actually measure when testing elite sports pitches How surface hardness, traction and stability can influence player movement The difference between natural grass, artificial turf and hybrid playing surfaces Why hybrid pitches are still predominantly natural grass despite their synthetic reinforcement How hybrid systems can create greater stability and consistency as a pitch begins to wear How playing surfaces were developed for very different climates during the 2026 FIFA World Cup Why achieving consistent ball and player interaction across different stadiums is so important How multi-use stadiums are changing the demands placed on grounds teams and playing surfaces Why shallow hybrid stitching has opened up new possibilities for temporary and replaceable surfaces What elite sport can learn from the ongoing debate around artificial turf and player safety How research, technology and experienced pitch managers work together to produce elite surfaces About Professor John Sorochan and Alan Thomson Professor John Sorochan is Distinguished Professor of Turfgrass Science and Management at the University of Tennessee and one of the leading researchers in sports turf and athletic-field safety. His career in turfgrass science stretches back more than 30 years, including working as a student on the 1994 FIFA World Cup. Today, his research examines the relationship between playing surfaces, player biomechanics, turf performance and safety. John has worked with organisations across elite sport including the NFL, Major League Baseball and professional football, and has played a leading role in research designed to deliver safe and consistent pitches for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Alan Thomson is USA Sales Director at SIS Pitches and has spent his career working with elite sports surfaces. After beginning his career in golf-course management in Scotland, Alan moved into the construction, renovation and maintenance of football pitches before joining SIS Pitches. He now works across the United States helping venues implement hybrid playing-surface technology across sports including football, American football, baseball and lacrosse. His recent work has included major stadium projects across North America and the installation and development of hybrid surfaces used during the 2026 FIFA World Cup. FREE 7d SCIENCE FOR SPORT ACADEMY TRIAL SIGN UP NOW: https://bit.ly/SFSepisode241 Learn Quicker & More Effectively Optimise Your Athletes' Recovery Position Yourself As An Expert To Your Athletes And Naturally Improve Buy-In Reduce Your Athletes' Injury Ratese Save 100's Of Dollars A Year That Would Otherwise Be Spent On Books, Courses And More Improve Your Athletes' Performance Advance Forward In Your Career, Allowing You To Earn More Money And Work With Elite-Level Athletes Save Yourself The Stress & Worry Of Constantly Trying To Stay Up-To-Date With Sports Science Research

Few people are better placed to chart the evolution of sports science in professional football than Simon Grayson. Across a career spanning five decades, Simon has experienced the game as both a player and manager, from an era of bacon sandwiches before training and beers on the team bus, through to the GPS data, individualised programmes and specialist performance departments that are now part of everyday professional football. This week, Richard Graves sits down with Simon to discuss how that transformation has changed the way players train, recover and prepare for matches, and how his own approach to management has evolved alongside it. Simon explains what he wants from sports science practitioners as a manager, why information has to be relevant rather than simply available, and why data should always be understood within the context of what actually happened on the pitch. They also explore one of the challenges facing modern performance teams: finding the right balance between objective data and a coach's experience. Simon discusses why high-speed running is one of the metrics he pays particular attention to, how physical data can influence team selection during congested schedules, and why he has never wanted his training sessions to be dictated entirely by the numbers. Drawing on his experiences in English football and coaching overseas, Simon also explains how climate, culture and the physical capabilities of players can force coaches to adapt their methods. And despite everything that has changed, he believes one part of coaching remains as important as ever: getting the best out of people. In this episode you will learn How sports science in professional football has changed since Simon began playing in the 1980s What a manager actually wants from sports science and performance staff Why more data doesn't necessarily mean better information Why Simon pays particular attention to high-speed running How physical data can influence selection during congested fixture schedules Why training load data needs to be interpreted within the context of the game How managers balance sports science recommendations with coaching experience What modern recovery looks like compared with previous generations How Simon adapted his training methods when coaching in different climates and cultures Why man-management and relationships remain fundamental regardless of advances in technology About Simon Grayson Simon Grayson has spent more than four decades in professional football as a player, coach and manager. After beginning his career at Leeds United, he went on to play for clubs including Leicester City, Aston Villa, Blackburn Rovers and Blackpool. His playing career included promotion to the Premier League with Leicester and victory in the 1997 League Cup. As a manager, Simon has led clubs including Blackpool, Leeds United, Huddersfield Town, Preston North End, Sunderland and Bradford City, with promotion-winning campaigns at several clubs. His career has also taken him overseas, giving him experience of working with players and performance teams in different footballing cultures and environments. More recently, Simon has worked in international football and advisory roles, while also launching the Simon Grayson Football Academy in Leeds. FREE 7d SCIENCE FOR SPORT ACADEMY TRIAL SIGN UP NOW: https://bit.ly/SFSepisode241 Learn Quicker & More Effectively Optimise Your Athletes' Recovery Position Yourself As An Expert To Your Athletes And Naturally Improve Buy-In Reduce Your Athletes' Injury Ratese Save 100's Of Dollars A Year That Would Otherwise Be Spent On Books, Courses And More Improve Your Athletes' Performance Advance Forward In Your Career, Allowing You To Earn More Money And Work With Elite-Level Athletes Save Yourself The Stress & Worry Of Constantly Trying To Stay Up-To-Date With Sports Science Research

Are elite athletes training harder than the demands of their sport require? This week, Richard Graves is joined by performance coach Colin Byrne, who spent seven years working with Conor McGregor as part of his training and corner team. Colin believes many athletes, particularly in combat sports, still confuse doing more work with preparing effectively. He explains why conditioning should reflect the actual structure of competition, how fatigue affects technical execution and why the ability to recover between intense efforts can decide contests. The conversation explores Colin’s work with McGregor following his first defeat to Nate Diaz. He describes how introducing greater structure, separating skill development from conditioning and helping McGregor understand his own intensity transformed the preparation for their rematch just 14 weeks later. Colin also introduces his “one-round principle”, challenges the value of routinely exceeding competition distances in training and explains what combat sports can learn from cycling’s measurement-led approach to performance. In this episode you will learn Why many combat athletes train too much without training specifically enough How fatigue affects decision-making and technical execution What Colin changed after Conor McGregor’s first fight with Nate Diaz Why skill training and conditioning may need to be separated How heart rate and power data can help athletes understand pacing Why recovery between high-intensity efforts matters so much How the “one-round principle” changes the structure of fight preparation Why training beyond the demands of competition is not always productive What coaches can learn from cycling’s approach to measurement How amateur athletes can make better use of limited training time About Colin Byrne Colin Byrne is a performance coach, martial artist and founder of the Shinobi Academy in Portugal. A former professional cyclist and European silver medallist in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, he holds black belts in both Brazilian jiu-jitsu and ninjutsu. Colin spent seven years travelling and working with Conor McGregor, helping to structure his conditioning following the first Nate Diaz fight and supporting him as a trainer and cornerman. His approach combines practical coaching experience, measurable performance data and a detailed understanding of the demands placed on combat athletes. FREE 7d SCIENCE FOR SPORT ACADEMY TRIAL SIGN UP NOW: https://bit.ly/SFSepisode241 Learn Quicker & More Effectively Optimise Your Athletes' Recovery Position Yourself As An Expert To Your Athletes And Naturally Improve Buy-In Reduce Your Athletes' Injury Ratese Save 100's Of Dollars A Year That Would Otherwise Be Spent On Books, Courses And More Improve Your Athletes' Performance Advance Forward In Your Career, Allowing You To Earn More Money And Work With Elite-Level Athletes Save Yourself The Stress & Worry Of Constantly Trying To Stay Up-To-Date With Sports Science Research

Elite teams have access to more performance data than ever. The real competitive advantage, however, comes from knowing which questions to ask, how to interpret the answers and when to act. This week, Richard Graves is joined by Jamie Hepner, Director of Applied Sport Science – Football Performance at Catapult. Drawing on almost 12 years of working with leading NFL and college football programmes, Jamie explains how applied sports science has progressed from simply monitoring athletes to actively shaping training and practice. The conversation explores how performance teams can combine wearable data, video and practitioner judgement to manage player availability without leaving athletes underprepared. Jamie discusses why training load cannot be viewed in isolation, how deviations at individual and positional-group level require different responses, and why feeling tired after a demanding training block is not necessarily a negative outcome. Jamie also explains how technology such as Vector 8 is connecting physical performance data with the tactical context of practice. This allows practitioners to examine the demands of particular plays, automate player participation and prescribe the type and number of repetitions an athlete may need during the week. This is a practical discussion about moving beyond interesting information and using data to make decisions that improve preparation, availability and performance. In this episode you will learn What applied sports science looks like within NFL and college football Why the quality of the question determines the value of the data How player tracking and video can provide greater context around physical demands Why minimising training load does not necessarily reduce injury risk How performance teams balance player availability with adequate preparation How wearable data can help prescribe practice rather than simply review it Why individual and positional-group deviations require different responses How subjective athlete feedback and objective performance data work together Why fatigue and soreness can sometimes be an intended training response How practitioners can turn performance information into decisions coaches can use Why the next stage of athlete monitoring is likely to focus on context rather than data volume About Jamie Hepner Jamie is Director of Applied Sport Science – Football Performance at Catapult He works with leading American football programmes to help practitioners and coaches apply athlete-monitoring data to training, preparation and player-availability decisions. During almost 12 years at Catapult, Jamie has helped the company respond to the evolving performance needs of NFL and college football teams. Originally from Australia, Jamie relocated to the United States when he joined Catapult during the company’s early expansion into American sport. His previous experience includes athlete management with AFL Victoria and strength and conditioning coaching. FREE 7d SCIENCE FOR SPORT ACADEMY TRIAL SIGN UP NOW: https://bit.ly/SFSepisode241 Learn Quicker & More Effectively Optimise Your Athletes' Recovery Position Yourself As An Expert To Your Athletes And Naturally Improve Buy-In Reduce Your Athletes' Injury Ratese Save 100's Of Dollars A Year That Would Otherwise Be Spent On Books, Courses And More Improve Your Athletes' Performance Advance Forward In Your Career, Allowing You To Earn More Money And Work With Elite-Level Athletes Save Yourself The Stress & Worry Of Constantly Trying To Stay Up-To-Date With Sports Science Research

What does it take to build a genuinely integrated high-performance programme? This week, Richard Graves is joined by Dr Trevor Short, Senior Associate Athletics Director for Health, Wellness and Performance at Utah State University. Trevor explains how Utah State is bringing sports science, sports medicine, strength and conditioning, nutrition and mental wellness together around three shared objectives: athlete availability, performance development and readiness to compete. The conversation explores why alignment must come before data, how monitoring should respond to the questions coaches are actually asking, and why collecting more information does not automatically lead to better decisions. Trevor also discusses the challenge of balancing performance development with athlete availability, adapting thresholds to the demands of the season and communicating the same evidence differently to coaches and senior leaders. This is a practical discussion about designing high-performance systems in which every intervention has a purpose, departments work beyond their traditional silos and the athlete remains at the centre of decision-making. In this episode you will learn Why athlete availability, performance and readiness can be competing objectives How Utah State is integrating its performance, medical, nutrition and mental wellness teams Why alignment with coaches should come before collecting data How to build monitoring systems around meaningful performance questions Why readiness flags must be interpreted within the context of the season How multidisciplinary teams can make better decisions for individual athletes Why the same information should be communicated differently to coaches and administrators How standard operating procedures can make performance systems more consistent and measurable Why leadership, culture and trust matter as much as technology How integrated athlete support can increase a team’s chances of winning About Trevor Short Dr Trevor Short is Senior Associate Athletics Director for Health, Wellness and Performance at Utah State University, where he oversees sports medicine, strength and conditioning, sports nutrition, mental wellness and sports performance. Before joining Utah State, Trevor worked as a performance and sports scientist at the University of Hawai‘i, supporting sports science provision across its intercollegiate programmes. His career has also included strength and conditioning, applied research, university teaching, private-sector performance coaching and operational leadership. Trevor holds a PhD in Kinesiology and is a Certified Performance and Sport Scientist and Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist through the NSCA. His work focuses on integrated high-performance systems, athlete monitoring and the use of evidence to improve athlete availability, readiness and performance. FREE 7d SCIENCE FOR SPORT ACADEMY TRIAL SIGN UP NOW: https://bit.ly/SFSepisode241 Learn Quicker & More Effectively Optimise Your Athletes' Recovery Position Yourself As An Expert To Your Athletes And Naturally Improve Buy-In Reduce Your Athletes' Injury Ratese Save 100's Of Dollars A Year That Would Otherwise Be Spent On Books, Courses And More Improve Your Athletes' Performance Advance Forward In Your Career, Allowing You To Earn More Money And Work With Elite-Level Athletes Save Yourself The Stress & Worry Of Constantly Trying To Stay Up-To-Date With Sports Science Research

This week, Richard Graves is joined by Dr Alicia Naser, behavioural scientist and founder of The Naser Institute for Behavioral Sports Psychology. Dr Naser works with professional athletes and organisations across hockey, tennis, baseball, basketball and golf, helping them understand the relationship between behaviour, physiology and performance under pressure. In this episode, she explains why mental performance should not sit separately from physical preparation, and how fatigue, heart rate, self-talk and emotion can all influence an athlete’s ability to execute when it matters. The conversation explores the practical value of becoming more aware of internal responses during competition. From using frustration constructively rather than trying to suppress it, to striking the right balance with wearable data, Dr Naser offers a behavioural-science lens on high-performance sport that will be useful for practitioners, coaches and athletes alike. In this episode you will learn Why mental health and mental performance are related, but not the same thing How physical fatigue can affect clarity, decision-making and execution The relationship between heart rate, anxiety and an athlete’s self-talk Why emotional awareness can itself be a useful performance intervention How frustration can be used to create focus and competitive intent Where breathing strategies fit within performance under pressure How to use wearable data without becoming overly dependent on it Why mental and physical preparation should be integrated across a performance programme How practitioners can use pre- and post-intervention data to build organisational buy-in A simple journalling exercise athletes and coaches can use to identify performance barriers About Dr Alicia Naser Dr Alicia Naser, PhD, BCBA-D, is a behavioural scientist, Board Certified Behavior Analyst and founder of The Naser Institute for Behavioral Sports Psychology. Her work combines behavioural science, physiology and mental performance to support professional athletes, coaches and organisations. Dr Naser has more than 12 years of advanced study, research and applied work in behavioural psychology, and works across a range of elite sports including the NHL, ATP Tour, MLB, NBA, PGA and Premier League. FREE 7d SCIENCE FOR SPORT ACADEMY TRIAL SIGN UP NOW: https://bit.ly/SFSepisode241 Learn Quicker & More Effectively Optimise Your Athletes' Recovery Position Yourself As An Expert To Your Athletes And Naturally Improve Buy-In Reduce Your Athletes' Injury Ratese Save 100's Of Dollars A Year That Would Otherwise Be Spent On Books, Courses And More Improve Your Athletes' Performance Advance Forward In Your Career, Allowing You To Earn More Money And Work With Elite-Level Athletes Save Yourself The Stress & Worry Of Constantly Trying To Stay Up-To-Date With Sports Science Research

This week, Richard Graves is joined by Dave Emsley, physiotherapist and movement specialist at The Body Mechanics, for a practical conversation on why successful rehabilitation needs to look beyond the site of pain. Dave explains how the body adapts around injury, why a scan or strength test is only one part of the picture, and what practitioners can learn by observing how an athlete actually moves. From hamstring tears and persistent knee pain to golf swings, fast bowling and return-to-play decisions, this episode explores the relationship between biomechanics, motor patterns and long-term performance. The discussion also unpacks “adaptive potential”: the body’s remarkable ability to find a way to keep performing when something is not working as it should. But that capacity is not unlimited. For practitioners, the challenge is recognising when an athlete’s compensations are taking them closer to the gutter and helping them restore better options before another area of the system breaks down. In this episode you will learn Why pain should be treated as information, rather than simply the problem to remove How movement compensations can shift load elsewhere in the kinetic chain Where scans, strength testing and force-plate data fit within a complete assessment Why data should help confirm a clinical decision, rather than make it in isolation The difference between quantitative testing and the qualitative assessment of movement What “adaptive potential” means for injury risk, performance and longevity Why athletes with the same diagnosis may need very different rehabilitation plans When technical changes are worth making—and when practitioners should protect an athlete’s existing strengths Why return-to-play should account for the athlete’s actual performance demands, not just symptom resolution How practitioners can use movement quality to guide more individualised rehabilitation About Dave Emsley Dave Emsley is a physiotherapist and movement specialist at The Body Mechanics. With a background in sports science and physiotherapy, he works with athletes across a range of sports, including golf and football, and consults with Premier League footballers. His work focuses on biomechanical assessment, movement patterns, rehabilitation and helping people return to performance with a better understanding of how their body moves. FREE 7d SCIENCE FOR SPORT ACADEMY TRIAL SIGN UP NOW: https://bit.ly/SFSepisode241 Learn Quicker & More Effectively Optimise Your Athletes' Recovery Position Yourself As An Expert To Your Athletes And Naturally Improve Buy-In Reduce Your Athletes' Injury Ratese Save 100's Of Dollars A Year That Would Otherwise Be Spent On Books, Courses And More Improve Your Athletes' Performance Advance Forward In Your Career, Allowing You To Earn More Money And Work With Elite-Level Athletes Save Yourself The Stress & Worry Of Constantly Trying To Stay Up-To-Date With Sports Science Research

Tennis players need far more than clean technique and a strong forehand. They need to be fast, powerful, durable and able to recover well enough to perform across an unpredictable, year-round competitive schedule. This week, Richard Graves is joined by Joshua Dragone, Head of Athletic Development at Dukes Meadows Tennis Academy, to explore what effective physical development looks like in tennis. Joshua explains why tennis S&C demands a different approach: players may be travelling, competing, dealing with limited gym access or adjusting plans after every match. He shares how he identifies the key physical qualities to target, creates structure without becoming rigid, and helps young players build the recovery, hydration and fuelling habits that support long-term development. The conversation also looks at maturation, the influence of social media on junior training, and why parents, tennis coaches and athletic development coaches need to be aligned around the individual athlete. In this episode you will learn Why tennis requires athletes to develop speed, power, change of direction, robustness and energy-system capacity at the same time. How to plan physical preparation around an unpredictable tournament schedule. How to identify the one or two physical priorities that matter most for an individual player. Why growth and maturation should shape expectations and programming in junior tennis. How to use training windows effectively when players are travelling and competing. The role of sleep, hydration and fuelling in availability, recovery and performance. Why junior tennis players are often under-fuelled — and how practitioners and parents can help. How consistent warm-up and recovery routines reduce friction on competition days. How to respond constructively when players want to copy professional athletes’ social-media training. Why alignment between player, parent, tennis coach and S&C coach is essential. About Joshua Dragone Joshua Dragone is the Head of Athletic Development at Dukes Meadows Tennis Academy in West London. He joined the academy in 2021 as a Senior Athletic Development Coach and moved into his current role in 2022. With more than a decade of coaching experience across sports including rugby, football and tennis, Joshua now specialises in helping junior tennis players become faster, stronger and more robust through developmentally appropriate, athlete-centred programming. FREE 7d SCIENCE FOR SPORT ACADEMY TRIAL SIGN UP NOW: https://bit.ly/SFSepisode241 Learn Quicker & More Effectively Optimise Your Athletes' Recovery Position Yourself As An Expert To Your Athletes And Naturally Improve Buy-In Reduce Your Athletes' Injury Ratese Save 100's Of Dollars A Year That Would Otherwise Be Spent On Books, Courses And More Improve Your Athletes' Performance Advance Forward In Your Career, Allowing You To Earn More Money And Work With Elite-Level Athletes Save Yourself The Stress & Worry Of Constantly Trying To Stay Up-To-Date With Sports Science Research

How much of an athlete’s performance is shaped by the materials they wear and use? This week, Richard Graves is joined by Dr Sarah Karmel, Chief Science Officer at RHEON Labs, to explore how dynamic materials are changing the way sport thinks about protection, comfort and performance. Sarah explains the science behind RHEON’s non-Newtonian polymer technology: materials that remain soft and flexible at rest, but stiffen to manage energy when exposed to force. From NFL helmet components designed to address both linear and rotational impacts, to sports bras that provide support without unnecessary compression, this is material science with practical implications for athletes. The conversation also looks at vibration damping in tennis and padel rackets, the role of apparel in supporting movement, and why the next step in sports equipment may be creating products that adapt to the athlete, rather than asking the athlete to adapt to the product. In this episode you will learn How dynamic polymers respond differently at rest and under force. Why managing both linear and rotational impacts matters in athlete protection. Why repetitive lower-energy impacts are receiving greater attention in contact sport. How sports bra design can influence comfort, movement and the running experience for female athletes. How dynamic materials can reduce vibration in rackets without removing the feel athletes need. The potential role of responsive compression apparel in muscle support and tendon loading. Why energy management is the common thread linking helmets, apparel and sporting equipment. How material innovation could make sports equipment more individualised and athlete-centred. About Dr Sarah Karmel Dr Sarah Karmel is Chief Science Officer at RHEON Labs, where she leads the development of advanced elastomeric materials for sport, protection and performance applications. She holds a PhD in Chemistry from the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, and previously held the Blavatnik Fellowship at the University of Cambridge. Her work focuses on translating polymer and material science into practical technologies that improve how athletes are protected, supported and able to perform. FREE 7d SCIENCE FOR SPORT ACADEMY TRIAL SIGN UP NOW: https://bit.ly/SFSepisode241 Learn Quicker & More Effectively Optimise Your Athletes' Recovery Position Yourself As An Expert To Your Athletes And Naturally Improve Buy-In Reduce Your Athletes' Injury Ratese Save 100's Of Dollars A Year That Would Otherwise Be Spent On Books, Courses And More Improve Your Athletes' Performance Advance Forward In Your Career, Allowing You To Earn More Money And Work With Elite-Level Athletes Save Yourself The Stress & Worry Of Constantly Trying To Stay Up-To-Date With Sports Science Research

Richard Graves welcomes Dr Matthew Ibrahim back to the Science for Sport podcast to discuss how sports science, strength and conditioning, athlete monitoring and wellness can be brought together within one integrated performance model. Matthew explains how he is applying this approach in his new role as Assistant Athletic Director of Health, Performance and Wellness at Malden Catholic. Rather than collecting data simply because the technology is available, his focus is on asking better questions, identifying the measures that genuinely inform decisions and presenting information in a way that athletes, coaches, parents and support staff can understand. The conversation explores the difference between returning an athlete to play and returning them to performance. Matthew discusses how force plates, isometric strength testing, sprint timing, velocity-based training and subjective wellness measures can contribute to a criteria-based process, while emphasising that every test must have a clear purpose. Matthew also introduces his new Science for Sport course, Frontal Plane Fundamentals: Lower Body Training. He explains why lateral strength and movement are often underdeveloped, the importance of the adductors in athletic performance and how simple lateral squat and lunge progressions can be incorporated into a training programme. In this episode you will learn How to connect sports science, strength and conditioning, education and wellness within one performance model Why collecting more data does not necessarily produce better decisions How to identify the performance tests and monitoring measures that matter most The difference between return to play and criteria-based return to performance How practitioners can prepare athletes for sudden increases in training and competition load Why frontal-plane strength is important for running, cutting, skating and changing direction How lateral squats and lunges can develop the adductors and improve athletic movement Why relationships, trust and communication are essential when building athlete buy-in About Matthew Ibrahim Dr Matthew Ibrahim is the Assistant Athletic Director of Health, Performance and Wellness at Malden Catholic in Massachusetts. He has more than 15 years of experience across strength and conditioning, human performance, education and sports rehabilitation. Matthew holds a PhD in Human and Sport Performance and is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist. He is also the author of Train Like a Pro: Programming to Develop Your Inner Athlete and is currently working on a second Human Kinetics book focused on strength-based health, performance and wellness for young people. His work centres on making performance science understandable and useful, helping athletes develop the physical skills, confidence and habits needed to perform in sport and beyond.

Speed in American football is about far more than running a fast 40-yard dash. It is the ability to create space, close space, accelerate, decelerate, change direction and repeatedly produce high-speed actions under the demands of the game. This week, Richard Graves is joined by Matt Gebert, Strength and Conditioning Coach at Ole Miss Football, to explore how speed is developed within an elite college football programme. Matt explains how Ole Miss structures speed training across the week, from acceleration and change of direction to maximum velocity, curved sprinting and conditioning. He also breaks down how the physical demands change between position groups and why offensive linemen, linebackers, running backs, wide receivers and defensive backs require different training priorities. The conversation explores the five key qualities Matt uses to assess speed development and how tools including Catapult GPS and the 1080 Sprint can help coaches understand an athlete’s strengths, weaknesses and potential performance limiters. However, collecting more data does not automatically lead to better decisions. Matt explains why sports science technology must be accurate, efficient and actionable, particularly when working with a squad of around 120 athletes within strict time restrictions. Richard and Matt also discuss the balance between pushing athletes hard and protecting player availability, the value of wellness monitoring, the importance of sleep and why technology should help practitioners ask better questions rather than replace coaching judgement. Matt also reflects on how his coaching philosophy has changed during more than a decade in college football, including moving away from one-size-fits-all programming and learning to coach athletes differently, both physically and psychologically. In this episode you will learn Why speed in team sport is ultimately about creating and closing space How Ole Miss structures acceleration, maximum velocity, change of direction and conditioning work Why different football positions require different speed and strength qualities The five physical qualities Matt assesses within speed development How Catapult GPS and the 1080 Sprint are used to profile athletes Why maximum velocity is particularly important for wide receivers and defensive backs How to identify and improve an athlete’s performance limiters The difference between using sports technology and practising sports science The three questions Matt asks before introducing new technology How external and internal training loads can inform programme decisions Why wellness questionnaires can start important conversations with athletes The relationship between training load, recovery and player availability Why sleep may be the most overlooked performance metric How Matt’s approach to individualising training and communication has evolved Why acceleration should be a priority for young athletes in almost every sport About Matt Gebert Matt Gebert is a Strength and Conditioning Coach with Ole Miss Football, where he leads speed development work within the programme’s performance team. Matt has worked in college football for approximately 13 years and is currently completing a PhD focused on speed development. His work covers linear speed, multidirectional movement, acceleration, maximum velocity, deceleration, curved sprinting and conditioning for team-sport athletes. Alongside his coaching and research, Matt regularly shares practical information about speed development and the use of sports science within high-performance environments. He is also preparing a forthcoming book focused on speed development for team-sport athletes. FREE 7d SCIENCE FOR SPORT ACADEMY TRIAL SIGN UP NOW: https://bit.ly/SFSepisode241 Learn Quicker & More Effectively Optimise Your Athletes' Recovery Position Yourself As An Expert To Your Athletes And Naturally Improve Buy-In Reduce Your Athletes' Injury Ratese Save 100's Of Dollars A Year That Would Otherwise Be Spent On Books, Courses And More Improve Your Athletes' Performance Advance Forward In Your Career, Allowing You To Earn More Money And Work With Elite-Level Athletes Save Yourself The Stress & Worry Of Constantly Trying To Stay Up-To-Date With Sports Science Research

In this episode of the Science for Sport Podcast, Richard Graves welcomes back Dr Warren Bradley, Co-Founder and Head of Elite Performance at Hytro, to explore how blood flow restriction is being used at the highest level of sport. With the biggest World Cup in history placing huge demands on players, staff, travel logistics, recovery windows and match preparation, Warren explains where BFR now fits inside elite performance environments. This conversation goes beyond the basic idea of BFR as a recovery tool. Warren breaks down how it can be used to support circulation, tissue preparation, injury risk reduction, return-to-play, long-haul travel strategies and squad-wide recovery workflows. He also discusses the challenge every practitioner will recognise: how to balance research, data, individualisation and real-world practicality when time is limited and performance outcomes matter. For coaches, sports scientists, physios and performance staff working in elite sport, this episode gives a clear look at how BFR is being applied in tournament football and why the next stage of recovery science may be less about collecting more data, and more about using meaningful interventions consistently. In this episode you will learn What blood flow restriction is and why its application has changed in elite sport How BFR can be used for recovery, tissue priming, warm-ups and travel support Why long-haul travel creates a major performance challenge during tournament football How teams are adapting BFR protocols to fit real-world environments, including pools, the sea, flights and pitch-based warm-ups Where BFR can help bridge the gap between low-grade injury and return-to-pla Why Warren believes circulation is becoming a major focus in modern recovery science How elite teams balance scientific precision with practical use across a full squad Why highly specific numbers can sometimes become a barrier to implementation How BFR protocols can be individualised without overcomplicating delivery What Warren would study if he had unlimited access to World Cup players, wearables and performance data About Dr Warren Bradley Dr Warren Bradley is Co-Founder and Head of Elite Performance at Hytro, a company specialising in wearable blood flow restriction technology for performance, recovery and rehabilitation. A sports scientist by trade, Warren has spent more than a decade working in professional sport, including Premier League football and international rugby. He completed a PhD in exercise physiology and has focused much of his work on making blood flow restriction safer, more practical and more accessible for athletes and practitioners. Through Hytro, Warren works with elite teams and athletes across world sport, helping them apply BFR in realistic performance environments — from training grounds and recovery rooms to tournament travel, warm-ups and matchday preparation. FREE 7d SCIENCE FOR SPORT ACADEMY TRIAL SIGN UP NOW: https://bit.ly/SFSepisode241 Learn Quicker & More Effectively Optimise Your Athletes' Recovery Position Yourself As An Expert To Your Athletes And Naturally Improve Buy-In Reduce Your Athletes' Injury Ratese Save 100's Of Dollars A Year That Would Otherwise Be Spent On Books, Courses And More Improve Your Athletes' Performance Advance Forward In Your Career, Allowing You To Earn More Money And Work With Elite-Level Athletes Save Yourself The Stress & Worry Of Constantly Trying To Stay Up-To-Date With Sports Science Research

Richard Graves welcomes Dr James Morehen back to the Science for Sport podcast for a practical conversation on what it really takes to work in elite performance nutrition. James reflects on his journey from Liverpool John Moores University to rugby league, England football, Premiership rugby, international rugby, and his current work with England Rugby. But this episode is less about the polished version of elite sport, and more about the details that actually make performance environments work. From gaining experience as a student, to building a trusted network, to solving problems on tour before they affect the athletes, James gives a clear view of the craft behind applied performance nutrition. He explains why degrees matter, but why they are only part of the picture, and why students and early-career practitioners need to get into clubs, support research, present to athletes, make mistakes, and learn from them. James also shares examples from inside elite sport, including heat strategies, travel logistics, hydration planning, making weight for combat athletes, and the hidden operational details that can decide whether a practitioner is adding real value or simply reacting under pressure. This is a valuable episode for sports nutritionists, sports scientists, S&C coaches, performance directors, students, and anyone interested in the reality of working behind the scenes in high-performance sport. In this episode you will learn Why academic knowledge is essential, but not enough on its own How students can build meaningful experience while still at university Why volunteering, research participation, and applied placements can separate candidates in a crowded field What James looks for when interviewing or mentoring young practitioners How to build a professional network that genuinely improves your practice Why elite sport often comes down to simple details done exceptionally well How practitioners use networks to check, challenge, and improve strategies What travel, heat, hydration, and logistics look like inside international rugby Why mentorship matters at every stage of a practitioner’s career How James is now helping clubs and practitioners develop better nutrition systems About Dr James Morehen Dr James Morehen is a performance nutritionist working at the highest level of elite sport. He is currently Lead Performance Nutritionist for England Rugby and has supported athletes and teams across rugby league, England football pathways, Premiership rugby, international rugby, and professional boxing. James completed his undergraduate, master’s and PhD studies at Liverpool John Moores University, where his interest in applied physiology and performance nutrition developed through his work in rugby league. Alongside his work in elite environments, James is the founder of the Performance Nutrition Network and is passionate about mentoring and developing the next generation of practitioners. His work focuses not only on evidence-based nutrition, but on the practical systems, communication, logistics, and problem-solving needed to support athletes in real performance environments. FREE 7d SCIENCE FOR SPORT ACADEMY TRIAL SIGN UP NOW: https://bit.ly/SFSepisode241 Learn Quicker & More Effectively Optimise Your Athletes' Recovery Position Yourself As An Expert To Your Athletes And Naturally Improve Buy-In Reduce Your Athletes' Injury Ratese Save 100's Of Dollars A Year That Would Otherwise Be Spent On Books, Courses And More Improve Your Athletes' Performance Advance Forward In Your Career, Allowing You To Earn More Money And Work With Elite-Level Athletes Save Yourself The Stress & Worry Of Constantly Trying To Stay Up-To-Date With Sports Science Research

This week on the Science for Sport Podcast, Richard Graves welcomes back Steve Jennings for part two of one of the most fascinating stories in sports nutrition. Earlier this year, Steve joined us to tell the story of how creatine first entered the world of elite sport ahead of the Barcelona 1992 Olympic Games. In this follow-up conversation, Richard and Steve look at where creatine goes next. For decades, creatine has been viewed primarily as a strength, power and high-intensity performance supplement. But Steve believes the next phase of creatine will move far beyond the gym, the track and the changing room. In this episode, Steve discusses the emerging research around creatine, cognition, fatigue, brain function, sleep deprivation, concussion, ageing, women’s health, shift work and everyday human performance. He also explains why education is now critical, particularly for youth athletes, parents, schools and practitioners who need to understand creatine in the right context. The conversation also explores the future of creatine as an ingredient technology, with Steve outlining how new forms of creatine could be used in functional foods, gummies, drinks and other products designed for wider health and performance benefits. This is a conversation about sport, science, innovation and the changing role of creatine in human performance. In this episode you will learn How creatine moved from elite sport into mainstream performance nutrition Why Steve believes the biggest future breakthroughs may come outside traditional sports performance The potential role of creatine in cognition, fatigue, brain function and sleep deprivation Why education is so important when discussing creatine with youth athletes and parents How practitioners can better frame creatine use in the right context Why Steve believes three grams per day can be enough for many users How creatine needs may change across the lifespan Why creatine is becoming a major topic in women’s health, ageing and longevity The challenges of creating liquid-stable and food-based creatine products How ingredient technology could shape the next generation of creatine products About Steve Jennings Steve Jennings is one of the most influential figures in the history of sports nutrition. A former professional racing cyclist, Steve founded Maxim Sports Nutrition in the early 1990s and played a key role in introducing creatine supplementation to elite sport ahead of the Barcelona 1992 Olympic Games. Over the last three decades, Steve has built, launched and developed nutrition brands across performance sport, active lifestyle and human health. Today, through Jenerise, he is focused on the next chapter of creatine: helping expand its role beyond traditional strength and power performance into cognition, vitality, healthspan and everyday human performance. Steve brings a rare combination of lived sporting experience, commercial innovation and deep understanding of how science can be translated into practical, real-world use. FREE 7d SCIENCE FOR SPORT ACADEMY TRIAL SIGN UP NOW: https://bit.ly/SFSepisode241 Learn Quicker & More Effectively Optimise Your Athletes' Recovery Position Yourself As An Expert To Your Athletes And Naturally Improve Buy-In Reduce Your Athletes' Injury Ratese Save 100's Of Dollars A Year That Would Otherwise Be Spent On Books, Courses And More Improve Your Athletes' Performance Advance Forward In Your Career, Allowing You To Earn More Money And Work With Elite-Level Athletes Save Yourself The Stress & Worry Of Constantly Trying To Stay Up-To-Date With Sports Science Research

This week, Richard Graves is joined by Anna Cruse, Assistant Athletics Director for Applied Health and Performance Science and Director of Football Performance Science at the University of Utah. Anna’s route into sports science began as an international-level rower. Her interest in training, performance and data eventually took her from competing for the United States to helping develop the systems that support athletes across 19 sports at Utah. In this episode, Anna explains how Utah has moved from manual data exports and generalised reporting to faster, integrated workflows that deliver relevant information to coaches and practitioners. She discusses why collecting more data is not always the answer, the importance of educating decision-makers and how greater context can prevent practitioners from drawing the wrong conclusions from a metric. The conversation also explores individual athlete baselines, the limitations of fixed asymmetry thresholds and the need to make data specific to the athlete, position and sport. Anna also shares her perspective on artificial intelligence, including where it can improve performance workflows and why it should never replace qualified human judgement. In this episode you will learn How Anna moved from international rowing into applied sports science Why Utah only collects data it can use to support athletes or performance How the university delivers performance information across 19 different sports Why coaches and support staff must understand the context behind every metric How Utah has developed more sport-, position- and athlete-specific reporting Why fixed thresholds can be misleading when assessing asymmetry How integrated performance teams can make better use of limited resources Where AI can support practitioners without replacing their expertise Why athlete welfare must remain central to every performance decision How strong systems create more time for meaningful analysis About Anna Cruse Anna Cruse is Assistant Athletics Director for Applied Health and Performance Science and Director of Football Performance Science at the University of Utah. A former elite lightweight rower, Anna represented the United States at the World Rowing Under-23 Championships before moving into coaching, performance science and data analytics. Her career has included experience with the Philadelphia Union, Penn State and exercise intelligence company Svexa. At Utah, Anna helps lead the systems used to collect, interpret and communicate performance information across the university’s athletic programme. Her work focuses on turning data into useful decisions while ensuring that technology and analysis remain grounded in good science and the needs of the individual athlete. FREE 7d SCIENCE FOR SPORT ACADEMY TRIAL SIGN UP NOW: https://bit.ly/SFSepisode241 Learn Quicker & More Effectively Optimise Your Athletes' Recovery Position Yourself As An Expert To Your Athletes And Naturally Improve Buy-In Reduce Your Athletes' Injury Ratese Save 100's Of Dollars A Year That Would Otherwise Be Spent On Books, Courses And More Improve Your Athletes' Performance Advance Forward In Your Career, Allowing You To Earn More Money And Work With Elite-Level Athletes Save Yourself The Stress & Worry Of Constantly Trying To Stay Up-To-Date With Sports Science Research

This week on the Science for Sport Podcast, Richard Graves is joined by Great Britain track cyclist Joe Truman. Joe has spent nearly a decade as a full-time professional athlete with British Cycling, progressing through the pathway from a talent ID session at 15 to becoming a senior member of the GB sprint squad. After years of European, World Championship and Commonwealth medals, Joe recently claimed his first major individual title with European gold in the kilo, setting a British record in the process. In this episode, Joe gives a fascinating insight into the training methods, decision-making and performance science behind elite track sprinting. He explains how studying sport and exercise science changed the way he understood his own body, why he now has greater input into his own programming, and how that shift has helped drive a significant increase in performance. Richard and Joe also discuss the practical use of blood flow restriction training, how BFR moved from a rehab tool after back surgery to a staple part of Joe’s training, and why lower-load, lower-volume methods can still create meaningful performance adaptations when used intelligently. In this episode you will learn How Joe Truman progressed from British Cycling talent ID to the senior GB podium squad. Why his first major individual gold medal felt like a weight off his shoulders after years of silver and bronze medals. How sport and exercise science changed the way Joe approaches his own training. Why understanding the “why” behind a session can be a major motivational tool for elite athletes. How Joe uses blood flow restriction training in the gym and on the bike. Why BFR became a key tool after back surgery and later evolved into a performance method. How Joe balances peak power, glycolytic capacity and race-specific cadence. Why tapering can determine whether an athlete reaches their true performance ceiling. How training quality, recovery and freshness influence maximal sprint output. Why athletes should trust their own knowledge and listen closely to their body. How Joe is preparing for the next phase of the Olympic cycle towards LA 2028. About Joe Truman Joe Truman is a Great Britain track cyclist and one of the senior members of the GB men’s sprint squad. Originally from Portsmouth, Joe was identified by British Cycling at the age of 15 and has been part of the British Cycling pathway ever since. He progressed through the under-16, under-18 and under-23 squads before joining the podium programme full-time after his first World Championships in 2017. Across his career, Joe has competed in the team sprint, individual sprint, keirin and kilo, winning medals at European, World Championship, World Cup and Commonwealth level. In 2026, he claimed his first major individual senior title with European gold in the kilo, setting a British record and going under 58 seconds. Alongside his career as an elite athlete, Joe has studied sport and exercise science and now takes an active role in shaping his own training programme. His approach combines physiology, race-specific preparation, strength training, blood flow restriction training, recovery and athlete self-awareness. FREE 7d SCIENCE FOR SPORT ACADEMY TRIAL SIGN UP NOW: https://bit.ly/SFSepisode241 Learn Quicker & More Effectively Optimise Your Athletes' Recovery Position Yourself As An Expert To Your Athletes And Naturally Improve Buy-In Reduce Your Athletes' Injury Ratese Save 100's Of Dollars A Year That Would Otherwise Be Spent On Books, Courses And More Improve Your Athletes' Performance Advance Forward In Your Career, Allowing You To Earn More Money And Work With Elite-Level Athletes Save Yourself The Stress & Worry Of Constantly Trying To Stay Up-To-Date With Sports Science Research

This week on the Science for Sport podcast, Richard Graves welcomes Matt Parr back to the show for a deeper look at the work that really drives performance in elite sport. Matt is the Head of Athletic Performance at Leicester Tigers, a former professional rugby player, and the founder of High Performance Puzzle. Having worked across both rugby union and rugby league, including Leicester Tigers and Catalan Dragons, Matt brings a rare combination of playing experience, coaching insight, leadership responsibility, and high-performance strategy. In this episode, Richard and Matt explore the “invisible work” that sits behind successful performance environments. Not the gym programme. Not the GPS report. Not the testing data. But the conversations, decisions, relationships, standards, and judgement calls that determine whether the physical work actually lands. They discuss why data needs context, how performance teams can align with coaches under pressure, what good decision-making looks like when information is incomplete, and why trust remains one of the most important currencies in elite sport. For sports science, S&C, medical, coaching, and performance staff working in elite environments, this episode is a valuable reminder that high performance is not built by data alone. It is built through people, relationships, standards, and the ability to make good decisions when the pressure is on. In this episode you will learn Why the work that drives performance often sits outside the formal programme, session plan, or data report How conversations between coaches, medical staff, S&C, sports science, and players provide vital context What good alignment looks like in a high-performance environment How to manage differing opinions between technical and performance departments Why frameworks are essential when emotions and pressure start to influence decision-making How to make better decisions when you do not have the complete picture Why trust between the head coach, medical team, and performance staff is critical How to use data without becoming over-reliant on it Why standards often slip in small ways before they show up in performance outcomes How relationships can make or break the effectiveness of even the best performance systems Why gut feel still matters, provided it is shaped by experience and reflection How elite practitioners can reflect more effectively on their own decisions and behaviours Why discipline is a habit, not just a personal trait What Matt has learned from working across rugby union and rugby league Why the best players want honest feedback when standards start to slip About Matt Parr Matt Parr is Head of Athletic Performance at Leicester Tigers and founder of High Performance Puzzle. Before moving into strength and conditioning, Matt spent around 14 to 15 years as a professional rugby player, representing clubs including Sale Sharks, Saracens, London Irish, and Leicester Tigers. His transition into performance coaching began at Leicester Tigers, where he initially combined a player-coach role with S&C responsibilities before moving fully into the performance department. Matt has since built extensive experience across both rugby union and rugby league. After progressing through the performance setup at Leicester Tigers, he joined Catalan Dragons as Head of Performance, before returning to Leicester as Head of Athletic Performance. Alongside his role in professional rugby, Matt has launched High Performance Puzzle, a consultancy focused on high-performance strategy, systems, leadership, and integration. FREE 7d SCIENCE FOR SPORT ACADEMY TRIAL SIGN UP NOW: https://bit.ly/SFSepisode241 Learn Quicker & More Effectively Optimise Your Athletes' Recovery Position Yourself As An Expert To Your Athletes And Naturally Improve Buy-In Reduce Your Athletes' Injury Ratese Save 100's Of Dollars A Year That Would Otherwise Be Spent On Books, Courses And More Improve Your Athletes' Performance Advance Forward In Your Career, Allowing You To Earn More Money And Work With Elite-Level Athletes Save Yourself The Stress & Worry Of Constantly Trying To Stay Up-To-Date With Sports Science Research

In this episode of the Science for Sport Podcast, Richard Graves welcomes Dr Dave Hancock back to the show. Dave has spent more than three decades working in elite sport, including roles with Chelsea, Leeds United, the England national team and the New York Knicks. He is now CEO of Apollo, where his work focuses on helping performance teams use data, technology and AI to better understand player availability, injury risk and performance. Dave begins by sharing the latest developments in his Blind Screen approach, which looks beyond traditional testing by examining movement quality, control and rotational demands. He explains how Apollo is combining screening information with AI-generated insights, practitioner feedback and individualised exercise recommendations. The conversation then turns to the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Drawing on his experience of working with England at the 2010 World Cup and Euro 2012, Dave discusses the challenges facing performance and medical teams across a long international tournament: heat, travel, accumulated club workload, recovery, sleep, mental freshness and the need to bring a squad together around one common goal. This is a practical discussion about the margins that matter at the highest level of sport, from interpreting data more effectively to preparing players and staff for the demands of tournament football. In this episode you will learn How Dave’s Blind Screen approach is developing and being used with elite athletes and teams. Why rotational movement may be an important missing consideration in traditional screening methods. How AI can help practitioners combine objective data with coaching and clinical insight. The key physical demands facing players heading into the 2026 World Cup. Why player preparation must become increasingly individualised after a demanding club season. The importance of sleep, recovery monitoring, travel planning and heat acclimatisation during a major tournament. Why mental freshness, squad togetherness and staff culture can influence performance at international level. What Dave learned from working with England at the 2010 World Cup and Euro 2012. About Dr Dave Hancock Dr Dave Hancock is the CEO of Apollo and an experienced performance director, chartered physiotherapist and strength and conditioning coach. Across a career spanning more than three decades in elite sport, Dave has worked as Head Physiotherapist at Leeds United and Chelsea, served on the medical staff of the England national team at the 2010 World Cup and Euro 2012, and spent seven years as Performance Director of the New York Knicks in the NBA. Through Apollo, Dave now works with sports teams around the world, using athlete management technology, data and AI to support player availability, injury risk management and performance decision-making. FREE 7d SCIENCE FOR SPORT ACADEMY TRIAL SIGN UP NOW: https://bit.ly/SFSepisode241 Learn Quicker & More Effectively Optimise Your Athletes' Recovery Position Yourself As An Expert To Your Athletes And Naturally Improve Buy-In Reduce Your Athletes' Injury Ratese Save 100's Of Dollars A Year That Would Otherwise Be Spent On Books, Courses And More Improve Your Athletes' Performance Advance Forward In Your Career, Allowing You To Earn More Money And Work With Elite-Level Athletes Save Yourself The Stress & Worry Of Constantly Trying To Stay Up-To-Date With Sports Science Research

The 2026 Men’s World Cup will place unprecedented demands on international teams: 48 nations, 104 matches and a tournament staged across Canada, Mexico and the United States, with teams required to manage heat, humidity, altitude, travel and limited recovery time. In this episode of the Science for Sport Podcast, Richard Graves is joined by Dr Ben Rosenblatt, Founder of 292 Performance and former Lead Men’s Physical Performance Coach at The Football Association. Ben draws on his experience preparing the England men’s football team for two World Cups and a European Championship, alongside his work with Olympic athletes, GB Hockey and elite performers across a range of sports. The conversation explores what it really takes to prepare athletes for tournament football at the highest level. Ben discusses why physical preparation cannot begin when players arrive in camp, how small doses of training can create meaningful change during a tournament, and why “available” is very different from “ready to compete” when returning players from injury. He also explains the physical and psychological challenges of competing in extreme environments, from heat and altitude to fatigue and pressure, and shares how the best performance teams use data, observation, communication and athlete understanding together to make better decisions. For practitioners working in elite sport, this episode offers a detailed insight into preparing players not simply to take part in major tournaments, but to perform when the demands are at their highest. In this episode you will learn Why effective tournament preparation starts months before the first game. How England used micro-dosed strength training during the 2018 World Cup to improve players’ power and hamstring strength. Why athletes must continually adapt and “reinvent” themselves to sustain performance at the highest level. How Ben used daily monitoring with GB Hockey to prepare players for the demands of eight matches in 13 days at the Rio Olympics. Why data should be considered alongside observation, athlete feedback, staff conversations and practitioner judgement. The difference between returning a player to availability and preparing them to compete in the decisive stages of a major tournament. How performance teams can prepare players for heat, humidity, altitude and travel during the 2026 World Cup. Why recovery, nutrition, strength training and sprint exposure must be individualised rather than delivered as a single team-wide solution. How clarity, trust and pressure training help athletes execute when the stakes are highest. What the best high-performance environments look and feel like behind the scenes. About Dr Ben Rosenblatt Dr Ben Rosenblatt is the Founder and Director of 292 Performance, a multidisciplinary performance consultancy supporting elite athletes and organisations. He previously served as Lead Men’s Physical Performance Coach at The Football Association, where he supported the England men’s senior team through two World Cups and a European Championship. His career has also included work with the British Olympic Association, GB Hockey, elite football and Olympic athletes across multiple Games. Ben holds a PhD in biomechanics and motor learning, and his work focuses on helping athletes and teams prepare for the most demanding moments in high-performance sport. FREE 7d SCIENCE FOR SPORT ACADEMY TRIAL SIGN UP NOW: https://bit.ly/SFSepisode241 Learn Quicker & More Effectively Optimise Your Athletes' Recovery Position Yourself As An Expert To Your Athletes And Naturally Improve Buy-In Reduce Your Athletes' Injury Ratese Save 100's Of Dollars A Year That Would Otherwise Be Spent On Books, Courses And More Improve Your Athletes' Performance Advance Forward In Your Career, Allowing You To Earn More Money And Work With Elite-Level Athletes Save Yourself The Stress & Worry Of Constantly Trying To Stay Up-To-Date With Sports Science Research

This week on the Science for Sport Podcast, Richard Graves is joined by Heather Farmer, Assistant Athletics Director, Sports Science at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Heather has been part of the UNLV athletics staff since 2016, first joining as Assistant Director of Strength and Conditioning before moving into sport science and later being promoted to Assistant Athletics Director for Sports Science in 2024. In this episode, Heather shares how UNLV has built a sport science model from the ground up, why data should inform rather than dictate decisions, and how practitioners can create real buy-in across coaches, athletes, strength and conditioning, sports medicine, nutrition and psychology. The conversation explores the realities of working in collegiate sport, from the impact of the transfer portal to the challenge of supporting athletes when timeframes are shorter and rosters are constantly changing. Heather also discusses the importance of female athlete data, the risks of over-relying on wearable technology, and why return-to-play decisions must go beyond timelines and basic fitness markers. Throughout the episode, Heather brings the conversation back to one core principle: sport science is still about people. Data matters, technology matters, and AI may help practitioners work more efficiently, but the human side of performance remains central to everything. In this episode you will learn How Heather transitioned from collegiate soccer player to strength and conditioning coach, and then into sport science Why UNLV built its sport science model around being “human first” How to use data as an input rather than treating it as the final answer Why coach buy-in is easier when practitioners build trust and show value over time The challenges of applying male-dominated performance data to female athletes How the transfer portal has changed long-term athlete development in collegiate sport Why wearable technology can support performance but also create “analysis paralysis” How UNLV approaches return to play using performance outputs, not just timelines Why AI can support information gathering and efficiency, but cannot replace human judgement The importance of speaking the language of other disciplines in a high-performance team About Heather Farmer Heather Farmer is the Assistant Athletics Director, Sports Science at UNLV. She has been with UNLV since 2016, initially working in strength and conditioning before moving into sport science leadership. Her work focuses on integrating data-informed approaches across the high-performance team while keeping the individual athlete at the centre of the process. Before her career in performance, Heather played soccer at the University of North Alabama, where time spent rehabbing from injury and working in the weight room helped shape her interest in high-performance sport. She later worked across multiple sports as a graduate assistant at Lindenwood University before joining UNLV. At UNLV, Heather has helped grow sport science into a foundational part of the athletics department, working closely with coaches, athletes and interdisciplinary support staff to create a model that fits the needs of the university, rather than copying what works elsewhere. FREE 7d SCIENCE FOR SPORT ACADEMY TRIAL SIGN UP NOW: https://bit.ly/SFSepisode241 Learn Quicker & More Effectively Optimise Your Athletes' Recovery Position Yourself As An Expert To Your Athletes And Naturally Improve Buy-In Reduce Your Athletes' Injury Ratese Save 100's Of Dollars A Year That Would Otherwise Be Spent On Books, Courses And More Improve Your Athletes' Performance Advance Forward In Your Career, Allowing You To Earn More Money And Work With Elite-Level Athletes Save Yourself The Stress & Worry Of Constantly Trying To Stay Up-To-Date With Sports Science Research

In this episode of the Science for Sport Podcast, Richard Graves is joined by Olympic silver medallist and high performance coach Eric Franke. Eric competed for Germany in bobsleigh, winning Olympic silver in Pyeongchang 2018 alongside multiple World Championship medals across two-man and four-man competition. Since retiring from elite competition, he has moved into high performance coaching, working with athletes in speed development, sprint mechanics and sliding sports. This conversation explores what it really takes to perform under Olympic pressure, the physical demands of bobsleigh, and why speed still doesn’t always get the attention it deserves in team sport environments. Eric breaks down the qualities needed to accelerate a heavy sled on ice, the difference between being fast and being effective in a sport-specific context, and why developing speed requires more than simply adding sprint drills into a programme. He also reflects openly on his own career, including the mistakes he made as an athlete, the value of testing and tracking progress honestly, and how his coaching philosophy has developed around communication, individualisation and helping athletes become more independent decision-makers. For sports science professionals, coaches and practitioners working in elite sport, this episode offers a detailed look at speed development, athlete management, pressure, and the transition from elite performer to high performance coach. In this episode you will learn What it feels like to compete at the Olympic Games and handle pressure when medals are expected The role of the brakeman in bobsleigh and why the start phase is so technically and physically demanding Why sprint speed does not always transfer directly into bobsleigh performance The key physical qualities behind acceleration, rate of force development and efficient movement Why speed training needs to be prioritised properly within the weekly training structure How plyometrics, jumping and coordination can support speed development Why Eric believes athletes can sometimes spend too much time in the gym The importance of testing, measuring and honestly tracking progress How Eric’s experience as a self-coached athlete now shapes the way he coaches others Why experienced athletes often need guidance, guardrails and conversation rather than simply being told what to do How coaches can adapt communication to the individual athlete in front of them Why Eric’s ultimate coaching goal is to create “sovereign athletes” who can make better decisions when the coach is not there About Eric Franke Eric Franke is a former German bobsleigh athlete and Olympic silver medallist. He competed at the highest level in both two-man and four-man bobsleigh, winning silver at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang and multiple medals at World Championship level. Since retiring from competition, Eric has moved into high performance coaching, with a particular focus on speed development, sprint performance and athlete decision-making. He works with athletes across different performance environments, including bobsleigh and skeleton, helping them improve physical qualities while developing a deeper understanding of their own training process. His coaching approach is shaped by his own experience as an elite athlete, combining technical speed development with individualised communication, clear training frameworks and an emphasis on helping athletes become more self-sufficient. FREE 7d SCIENCE FOR SPORT ACADEMY TRIAL SIGN UP NOW: https://bit.ly/SFSepisode241 Learn Quicker & More Effectively Optimise Your Athletes' Recovery Position Yourself As An Expert To Your Athletes And Naturally Improve Buy-In Reduce Your Athletes' Injury Ratese Save 100's Of Dollars A Year That Would Otherwise Be Spent On Books, Courses And More Improve Your Athletes' Performance Advance Forward In Your Career, Allowing You To Earn More Money And Work With Elite-Level Athletes Save Yourself The Stress & Worry Of Constantly Trying To Stay Up-To-Date With Sports Science Research

This week, Richard Graves is joined by Carmen Bott, a certified strength and conditioning specialist, kinesiologist, sports performance coach and educator with more than two decades of hands-on experience working with athletes across youth, high performance and professional sport. Carmen specialises in ACL rehabilitation, return to play, collision sport athletes, multi-directional speed, and mental performance coaching. In this episode, Carmen shares the story of her career, from an unexpected switch from behavioural psychology and criminology into kinesiology, through to working with university teams, NHL athletes, national-level performers and young athletes returning from serious injury. The conversation explores what kinesiology actually means, how it sits alongside strength and conditioning, and why understanding the sport is just as important as understanding the science. Carmen also discusses the communication challenges that can arise between practitioners, coaches and athletes, particularly when return-to-play decisions are being made under pressure. Richard and Carmen then take a deeper look at ACL rehabilitation. They discuss why training age matters, how the rehab journey differs between a professional athlete and a young adolescent athlete, and why parents can play such an important role in the process. Carmen also breaks down the place of isometrics, dynamic strength training, plyometrics and force progression in ACL rehab, while offering a clear, practical view of what effective exercise prescription should look like. Finally, Carmen gives her thoughts on artificial intelligence in sports science and rehabilitation. While AI may help with programming and exercise selection, she explains why coaching, communication, technical feedback and human connection remain central to helping athletes return to performance safely and confidently. In this episode you will learn What kinesiology is and how it differs from strength and conditioning Why practitioners need to understand the language and demands of the sport they work in How to communicate more effectively with coaches during return-to-play decisions Why ACL rehabilitation must be adapted to the athlete’s training age and experience The key differences between rehabbing a professional athlete and an adolescent athlete Why parents can be critical in supporting youth athletes through injury rehabilitation How isometrics, dynamic strength training and plyometrics fit into ACL rehab Why force progression matters when preparing athletes for sprinting, cutting and collision demands Where AI can support practitioners — and where it cannot replace real coaching About Carmen Bott Carmen Bott is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, Practicing Kinesiologist, Sports Performance Coach and Educator based in Canada. She holds a Master’s degree in Exercise Science and has worked with athletes from learn-to-train level through to high performance and professional sport. Carmen’s work spans physical preparation, ACL rehabilitation, return to play, collision sport athletes, multi-directional speed coaching and mental performance. She is also a university lecturer and has been teaching since 2005. You can find Carmen on Instagram at @coachbott FREE 7d SCIENCE FOR SPORT ACADEMY TRIAL SIGN UP NOW: https://bit.ly/SFSepisode241 Learn Quicker & More Effectively Optimise Your Athletes' Recovery Position Yourself As An Expert To Your Athletes And Naturally Improve Buy-In Reduce Your Athletes' Injury Ratese Save 100's Of Dollars A Year That Would Otherwise Be Spent On Books, Courses And More Improve Your Athletes' Performance Advance Forward In Your Career, Allowing You To Earn More Money And Work With Elite-Level Athletes Save Yourself The Stress & Worry Of Constantly Trying To Stay Up-To-Date With Sports Science Research

In this episode of the Science for Sport podcast, Richard Graves sits down with Jamie Cook, Lead Performance Analyst for Chelsea Women, to unpack the realities of modern performance analysis in elite sport. Jamie shares his journey from grassroots coaching and internships to leading analysis within one of the most successful teams in the women’s game. Across the conversation, he offers a clear, honest look at how the role has evolved, from basic video breakdowns to a complex, high-impact function that shapes coaching decisions, player preparation, and match outcomes. The discussion explores the balance between data and communication, the challenge of avoiding over-analysis, and the importance of translating complex insights into simple, actionable messages that players and coaches can actually use under pressure. Jamie also lifts the lid on working within a high-performance environment, adapting to the rapid growth of women’s football, and building processes that allow analysts to operate effectively in fast-paced, game-to-game cycles. For practitioners, this is a grounded, real-world insight into what performance analysis actually looks like at the top level, and what it takes to succeed in the role. In this episode you will learn How performance analysts support coaching decisions without dictating them The evolution of analysis in elite women’s football over the past decade Why communication is more important than data volume How to avoid over-analysis and focus on what truly impacts performance The importance of understanding individual player needs and learning styles How analysts translate complex data into actionable insights The role of process and structure in high-performance environments How to evaluate whether a game plan has been successfully executed The impact of stadiums, crowds, and environment on communication and analysis How analysts collaborate across departments to drive performance Why knowing players on a personal level improves analysis delivery The balance between individual detail and team strategy Key considerations when working with female athletes How leadership and decision-making shift on the pitch in high-pressure environments Practical advice for aspiring analysts looking to break into elite sport About Jamie Cook Jamie Cook is the Lead Performance Analyst for Chelsea Women, where he has worked for over a decade. Starting his career in the club’s foundation programme, Jamie progressed through coaching, scouting, and internship roles before securing a full-time position within the first team setup. He has played a key role in the club’s sustained success, supporting coaching staff and players through detailed performance analysis, opposition insights, and strategic planning. Jamie specialises in bridging the gap between data and delivery — ensuring that insights are not only accurate, but meaningful and usable within a high-performance environment. FREE 7d SCIENCE FOR SPORT ACADEMY TRIAL SIGN UP NOW: https://bit.ly/SFSepisode241 Learn Quicker & More Effectively Optimise Your Athletes' Recovery Position Yourself As An Expert To Your Athletes And Naturally Improve Buy-In Reduce Your Athletes' Injury Ratese Save 100's Of Dollars A Year That Would Otherwise Be Spent On Books, Courses And More Improve Your Athletes' Performance Advance Forward In Your Career, Allowing You To Earn More Money And Work With Elite-Level Athletes Save Yourself The Stress & Worry Of Constantly Trying To Stay Up-To-Date With Sports Science Research

In this episode, Richard Graves is joined by Dr Sally Needham, whose work sits at the heart of coaching, neuroscience, and human performance. Sally shares her journey from coaching within the FA to leading human development and culture work across elite environments including Brentford FC, Sheffield United, and international football. Her approach challenges traditional performance models, bringing a deeper understanding of the nervous system, behaviour, and athlete self-awareness into day-to-day coaching practice. The conversation explores how clubs are beginning to bridge the gap between “off-field” psychology and “on-field” performance, why understanding the brain and body connection is becoming essential in modern sport, and how coaches can influence behaviour, decision-making, and performance through better awareness of human systems. For practitioners working in elite sport, this episode offers a practical lens on integrating neuroscience into coaching environments, without losing sight of the realities of performance. In this episode you will learn Why human development is becoming a priority in elite football environments How the nervous system directly impacts performance, decision-making, and behaviour What “co-regulation” means and how coaches influence athlete states The role of self-awareness in achieving consistent performance Why fear is unavoidable—and how athletes can manage it more effectively How Brentford are integrating human development into their performance model The gap between sports psychology theory and on-field coaching practice Why connection and relationships underpin long-term performance How coaches can consciously “up-regulate” or “down-regulate” players Practical ways to introduce neuroscience concepts into coaching environments About Dr Sally Needham Dr Sally Needham is a human development specialist working across elite football, with experience spanning the FA, Sheffield United, and Brentford FC. Her work focuses on the integration of coaching, neuroscience, and behaviour—helping athletes better understand their brain and body to improve performance and wellbeing. Sally completed a professional doctorate in elite performance, exploring how human development approaches can be embedded within high-performance environments. She currently works across multiple roles, including consultancy with clubs and international teams, as well as supporting individual athletes. FREE 7d SCIENCE FOR SPORT ACADEMY TRIAL SIGN UP NOW: https://bit.ly/SFSepisode241 Learn Quicker & More Effectively Optimise Your Athletes' Recovery Position Yourself As An Expert To Your Athletes And Naturally Improve Buy-In Reduce Your Athletes' Injury Ratese Save 100's Of Dollars A Year That Would Otherwise Be Spent On Books, Courses And More Improve Your Athletes' Performance Advance Forward In Your Career, Allowing You To Earn More Money And Work With Elite-Level Athletes Save Yourself The Stress & Worry Of Constantly Trying To Stay Up-To-Date With Sports Science Research

Sports nutrition in elite football is often misunderstood, even by the players doing it for a living. In this episode, Richard Graves sits down with Dr. Nessan Costello, 1st Team Sports Nutritionist at Al-Ahli in the Saudi Arabia Pro League, to cut through the noise and get practical about what performance nutrition actually looks like at the highest level. Nessan has worked across the Premier League with clubs including Chelsea, Newcastle United and Leeds United, and brings a rare combination of academic rigour and real-world experience to the conversation. From fuelling strategies across a congested fixture schedule to navigating Ramadan with Muslim players, and from debunking carbohydrate myths to calling out the damage done by overly controlling nutrition environments, this is a frank and refreshingly honest look at what it takes to keep elite footballers performing at their best, week in, week out. Whether you're a practitioner working at the sharp end of elite sport, a coach trying to get more out of your athletes, or simply someone who wants to understand the science behind peak performance, there is plenty here for you. In This Episode You Will Learn Why the majority of elite footballers are chronically underfuelled — and why that matters more than their body fat percentage The real science behind carbohydrate loading: why you should start 24 hours before kick-off, not the night before, and what foods actually work How to structure post-match nutrition across a 72-hour recovery window, including the specific gram-per-kilogram targets Nessan uses with his players Why ultra-lean body composition as a performance goal is actively harming players, and how disordered eating behaviours are more common in elite football than most environments will admit How Nessan adapted his approach during Ramadan — including training sessions at 10pm and cup semi-finals kicking off at 1:30am The practical hydration framework he uses: why 500ml of fluid with every meal beats carrying a big bottle around all day How nutrition changes across a full season, from pre-season heat acclimatisation through to the demands of a congested run-in Why supplements are largely irrelevant until you've nailed sleep, three meals a day, two snacks and consistent hydration What working in the Saudi Pro League has taught him about personalised nutrition across diverse nationalities and food cultures His advice for coaches and practitioners working without a dedicated nutritionist — and when it becomes worth bringing one in About Nessan Costello Dr. Nessan Costello is a sports nutritionist with over a decade of experience working at the highest levels of professional football. He has held roles at Premier League clubs including Chelsea, Newcastle United and Leeds United, before taking on his current position as 1st Team Sports Nutritionist at Al-Ahli in the Saudi Arabia Pro League. Nessan specialises in helping elite athletes optimise their health and performance through practical, evidence-based nutrition strategies — with a particular focus on fuelling, recovery and body composition in high-demand environments. He is known for his ability to simplify complex nutritional science and make it actionable for players, coaches and multidisciplinary teams alike. You can follow Nessan on LinkedIn and Instagram at @DrNessanCostello. FREE 7d SCIENCE FOR SPORT ACADEMY TRIAL SIGN UP NOW: https://bit.ly/SFSepisode241 Learn Quicker & More Effectively Optimise Your Athletes' Recovery Position Yourself As An Expert To Your Athletes And Naturally Improve Buy-In Reduce Your Athletes' Injury Ratese Save 100's Of Dollars A Year That Would Otherwise Be Spent On Books, Courses And More Improve Your Athletes' Performance Advance Forward In Your Career, Allowing You To Earn More Money And Work With Elite-Level Athletes Save Yourself The Stress & Worry Of Constantly Trying To Stay Up-To-Date With Sports Science Research

Richard Graves is joined by Jackson Polk, Director of Sports Science at the University of Southern California (USC), for a conversation that covers the full spectrum of what it actually means to do this job well, from wrangling a thousand Catapult metrics down to the handful that matter, to the perhaps surprising conclusion that conversation might be your most powerful tool. Jackson's path into sports science isn't the conventional one. He started as a student videographer with Oklahoma football, found himself drawn to the patterns hiding in data, and taught himself enough statistics and analytics to make coaches stop and listen. That curiosity eventually took him from Norman, Oklahoma, to Los Angeles, where he's spent the past four years building USC football's sports science programme from the ground up. What makes this episode stand out is Jackson's willingness to be honest about uncertainty, about AI, about his own mistakes, and about the limits of any single metric or method. He's equally at home referencing Principal Component Analysis and the TV show Veep, and that breadth of thinking is what makes him worth listening to. Whether you work in elite sport, study sports science, or just want to understand what goes into keeping a college football roster performing at its best, there's plenty here to take away. In This Episode You Will Learn Why reducing Catapult's thousand-plus metrics down to a focused few, Player Load, sprint volume, and repeat sprint exposures, actually produces better decisions than trying to monitor everything How Jackson uses principal component analysis to build confidence in the data he's presenting to coaches and athletes The "iceberg" model of athlete monitoring: what data can tell you, and what only a direct conversation will uncover Why practice periodisation and load management have been one of USC's biggest organisational wins, and how PlayerLoad underpins that planning How force plates (via VALD/ForceDecks) and velocity-based training tools like Perch complement GPS data to reveal readiness on any given day The case for teaching college athletes sound recovery habits early, so they're not spending their rookie contracts figuring out what works How Jackson thinks about AI in sports science: where it's useful, where to be cautious, and why it's only as good as the data it's trained on Why communication, not technology, is the cornerstone of an effective sports science operation, and how to make data digestible for coaches under pressure The value of building a culture where experimentation and failure are treated as learning, not liability Lessons from Thinking in Bets by Annie Duke on separating process from outcome, applied directly to sports science decision-making About Jackson Polk Jackson Polk is the Director of Sports Science for USC Trojans football, a role he was elevated to in 2024 after serving as Assistant Director from 2022–23. He joined the USC support staff in March 2022, bringing with him an unconventional background that blends mathematics, data science, and a deep passion for American football. His journey began at the University of Oklahoma, where he spent four seasons as a student videographer before becoming a volunteer performance analyst. While at OU, he co-founded the Oklahoma Sports and Data Analytics Club, which went on to win the Pro Football Focus Analytics Blitz contest. He completed his bachelor's degree in mathematics at Oklahoma in 2021 and subsequently pursued a master's in data science and analytics. At USC, Jackson has been responsible for building the football programme's sports science infrastructure, integrating GPS monitoring, force plate testing, and load management into daily practice planning. He holds an MBA alongside his analytical credentials, and his work sits at the intersection of data science and high-performance sport. FREE 7d SCIENCE FOR SPORT ACADEMY TRIAL SIGN UP NOW: https://bit.ly/SFSepisode241 Learn Quicker & More Effectively Optimise Your Athletes' Recovery Position Yourself As An Expert To Your Athletes And Naturally Improve Buy-In Reduce Your Athletes' Injury Ratese Save 100's Of Dollars A Year That Would Otherwise Be Spent On Books, Courses And More Improve Your Athletes' Performance Advance Forward In Your Career, Allowing You To Earn More Money And Work With Elite-Level Athletes Save Yourself The Stress & Worry Of Constantly Trying To Stay Up-To-Date With Sports Science Research

What does it actually take to prepare an athlete for a sport where the environment itself is part of the challenge? In this week's episode, Richard Graves sits down with Ryan Blake, Performance Coach, Consultant, and founder of Extreme Sports Performance, to explore the fascinating and often overlooked world of action sports performance. Ryan brings a unique perspective to this conversation. A former action sports athlete himself whose career was cut short by a life-threatening injury, he has since spent over 20 years working across elite sport, academy systems, private education, and national governing bodies, before circling back to the world he started in. Today, he works as a performance consultant for British Water Ski and Wakeboard, Head of Sport Science at St Paul's School in London, and Lead Tutor for the Youth Strength and Conditioning Association. This isn't a conversation about conventional periodisation or standard gym metrics. Ryan challenges the assumptions baked into most traditional performance models and makes a compelling case for why action sports, think X Games, halfpipe snowboarding, freestyle skiing, demand an entirely different approach. One built not around chasing peaks, but around building repeatable, durable performance that holds up under fatigue, variable terrain, and real-world unpredictability. He talks through his Restore, Apply, Own framework in practical terms, explains why training in a fresh state but competing in a fatigued one is one of the most underappreciated problems in sport, and shares how he uses a blend of velocity-based training, jump testing, readiness monitoring, and athlete-specific education tools to close that gap. He also weighs in on the growing use of AI in competition judging, the rapid rise of the X Games League, and why the preparation systems in action sports simply haven't caught up with where the sport is heading. Whether you're a sports scientist, strength and conditioning coach, or simply someone with an interest in how elite performance is built at the fringes of mainstream sport, this is a conversation worth your time. In This Episode You Will Learn Why traditional performance models fall short in action and adventure sports, and what needs to change The difference between performance capacity and durability — and why durability is the more important target in action sports How Ryan's Restore, Apply, Own framework structures athlete preparation from the ground up Why training athletes in a fatigued state is just as important as having them fresh — and how to do it effectively How to use a simple SWOT analysis to identify athlete needs and prioritise support when resources are limited The role of technology in action sports performance, including VBT, jump testing, readiness monitoring, and AI in competition judging Why strength training alone doesn't transfer to sport performance without progression through capacity, application, and environment How the rapid growth of the X Games League and Olympic inclusion is creating both opportunity and a preparation gap in action sports Practical first steps for coaches and athletes looking to engage with a more structured performance system in action sports About Ryan Blake Ryan Blake is a performance coach and consultant specialising in action and adventure sports. He founded Extreme Sports Performance in 2018 after a career that has taken him through elite academy systems, professional sport, private education, and national governing body consultancy. He holds accreditations from both the UKSCA and NSCA, holds an MSc in Maintenance and Enhancement of Elite Performance from the University of Portsmouth, and has worked with world champion athletes and Olympic medallists across disciplines including British Tennis, England Cricket, British Cycling, and now British Water Ski and Wakeboard. Alongside his consultancy work, Ryan serves as Head of Sport Science at St Paul's School in London and as Lead Tutor for the Youth Strength and Conditioning Association. His own background as an action sports athlete — and the life-threatening injury that ended that chapter — underpins his philosophy around risk, durability, and long-term performance. He is based in Guildford and can be found on Instagram at @extremesportsperformance or at extremesportsperformance.com. FREE 7d SCIENCE FOR SPORT ACADEMY TRIAL SIGN UP NOW: https://bit.ly/SFSepisode241 Learn Quicker & More Effectively Optimise Your Athletes' Recovery Position Yourself As An Expert To Your Athletes And Naturally Improve Buy-In Reduce Your Athletes' Injury Ratese Save 100's Of Dollars A Year That Would Otherwise Be Spent On Books, Courses And More Improve Your Athletes' Performance Advance Forward In Your Career, Allowing You To Earn More Money And Work With Elite-Level Athletes Save Yourself The Stress & Worry Of Constantly Trying To Stay Up-To-Date With Sports Science Research

This week on the Science for Sport podcast, Richard Graves is joined by former professional footballer Carl Asaba for an honest and insightful look at life inside the game. Carl’s journey into professional football wasn’t typical. From missing out on early opportunities and stepping away from the game, to earning a contract at 21 and going on to play over a decade in the professional ranks, his story challenges many of the assumptions around talent pathways and development. Across the conversation, Carl reflects on the psychological demands of elite sport, handling pressure, navigating setbacks, and the importance of environment and culture in performance. From record transfers and dressing room dynamics to playoff heartbreak and career-defining moments at Wembley, this episode offers a grounded, real-world perspective on what it actually takes to build and sustain a career in football. For practitioners working in elite sport, there are clear takeaways around player psychology, team culture, and the often-overlooked role of man management in performance. In this episode, you will learn Why non-linear talent pathways can still lead to elite performance How early setbacks can shape long-term motivation and resilience The psychological impact of transfers, expectations, and identity What separates strong team cultures from individual-driven environments Why “man management” remains a critical performance skill in modern sport How players experience pressure in high-stakes matches (e.g. playoffs, Wembley) The role of belief, environment, and coaching in unlocking performance Lessons on handling success, ego, and distractions early in a career What burnout, injury, and time out of the game really feel like Why giving “your all” is a more sustainable mindset than chasing outcomes About Carl Asaba Carl Asaba is a former professional footballer whose career spanned over a decade across English football. Starting his professional journey at Brentford at the age of 21, he went on to play for clubs including Reading, Gillingham, and Sheffield United. Known for his work ethic and team-first mentality, Carl was part of some iconic teams, including Gillingham’s promotion-winning side and Sheffield United’s memorable 2002–03 campaign, which reached the latter stages of multiple competitions. Since retiring, Carl has remained close to the game through media work and supporting the next generation, while offering a unique perspective shaped by both traditional and unconventional routes into elite sport. FREE 7d SCIENCE FOR SPORT ACADEMY TRIAL SIGN UP NOW: https://bit.ly/SFSepisode241 Learn Quicker & More Effectively Optimise Your Athletes' Recovery Position Yourself As An Expert To Your Athletes And Naturally Improve Buy-In Reduce Your Athletes' Injury Ratese Save 100's Of Dollars A Year That Would Otherwise Be Spent On Books, Courses And More Improve Your Athletes' Performance Advance Forward In Your Career, Allowing You To Earn More Money And Work With Elite-Level Athletes Save Yourself The Stress & Worry Of Constantly Trying To Stay Up-To-Date With Sports Science Research

In this episode of the Science for Sport Podcast, host Richard Graves is joined by Jordan Lucier, Senior Director of Engineering at Catapult and Co-Founder of Perch, to explore the next evolution of performance monitoring in the weight room. Perch has become one of the most widely used camera-based systems for measuring barbell velocity and strength training performance in elite sport. Now, with the launch of Perch P2, the technology is taking another step forward. Jordan shares the story behind the development of Perch, how computer vision and machine learning are used to quantify weightlifting performance, and why the weight room has historically been one of the least measured environments in sport. The conversation explores the key technological advancements behind P2 — including improved camera technology, greater processing power, enhanced portability, and new possibilities for tracking movement quality and technique. Jordan also discusses how better strength training data can help coaches build a more complete picture of athlete performance, how Perch fits alongside Catapult’s wider ecosystem of athlete monitoring tools, and why the next frontier may lie in connecting weight room insights with on-field performance. In this episode you will learn How Perch evolved from an early idea into a leading weight room monitoring system Why velocity-based training has become increasingly important in elite sport How computer vision technology can quantify barbell movement and lifting performance The key upgrades introduced with the new Perch P2 system Why portability is a major step forward for strength and conditioning environments How improved frame rates and camera technology increase measurement accuracy The concept of the “inaccuracy gap” and why it matters for explosive movements How machine learning is used to track movement and analyse lifting performance Why movement quality may become the next frontier of strength training analytics How weight room data could integrate with broader athlete monitoring systems About Jordan Lucier Jordan Lucier is the Senior Director of Engineering at Catapult and Co-Founder of Perch, a computer vision system designed to measure performance in the weight room. Originally developed at MIT, Perch uses advanced camera technology and machine learning to automatically track barbell velocity, movement patterns, and strength training performance without requiring wearable sensors. Jordan has led the engineering development of the system from its early concept through to global adoption across professional teams, collegiate programmes, and high-performance environments. His work sits at the intersection of sports science, computer vision, and performance technology, helping practitioners bring objective measurement to one of the most important areas of athlete development: strength training. FREE 7d SCIENCE FOR SPORT ACADEMY TRIAL SIGN UP NOW: https://bit.ly/SFSepisode241 Learn Quicker & More Effectively Optimise Your Athletes' Recovery Position Yourself As An Expert To Your Athletes And Naturally Improve Buy-In Reduce Your Athletes' Injury Ratese Save 100's Of Dollars A Year That Would Otherwise Be Spent On Books, Courses And More Improve Your Athletes' Performance Advance Forward In Your Career, Allowing You To Earn More Money And Work With Elite-Level Athletes Save Yourself The Stress & Worry Of Constantly Trying To Stay Up-To-Date With Sports Science Research

Why Female Physiology Still Needs Greater Attention in Sport with Dr Candice Macmillan This week on the Science for Sport Podcast, host Richard Graves welcomes Dr Candice Macmillan, lecturer at the University of Pretoria, sports physiotherapist, and course author of “Contraceptives and the Female Athlete” on the Science for Sport platform. As women’s sport continues to grow professionally around the world, understanding the unique physiological considerations of female athletes has never been more important. Yet many practitioners still feel underprepared when supporting athletes through topics such as the menstrual cycle, hormonal contraceptives, and their potential implications for performance, wellbeing, and decision-making. Drawing on her background as a sports physiotherapist, researcher, and academic, Dr Macmillan explores how practitioners can better support female athletes through education, communication, and evidence-based decision making. The conversation covers the complexity of hormonal contraceptives, how different types influence physiology and behaviour, and why awareness of factors such as testosterone suppression and symptom tracking may be crucial for athletes and support staff alike. Perhaps most importantly, Dr Macmillan explains why empowering athletes to ask the right questions about their own health may be one of the most powerful tools practitioners can provide. This episode offers valuable insights for sports scientists, strength and conditioning coaches, physiotherapists, and performance staff working across elite sport — while also opening up a conversation that continues to shape the future of female athlete support systems. In This Episode You Will Learn Why female athlete health remains one of the most misunderstood areas in elite sport The difference between hormonal and non-hormonal contraceptives Why the contraceptive pill is not a single solution and varies widely in composition How hormonal contraceptives can influence testosterone levels and athlete behaviour Why symptoms may impact performance more than hormone levels themselves The importance of tracking menstrual symptoms for informed medical decisions Why practitioners must help athletes learn the language to describe how they feel The role communication plays between athletes, coaches and medical staff How policy and education are shaping the future of female athlete support in sport About Dr Candice Macmillan Dr Candice Macmillan is a lecturer at the University of Pretoria, a qualified sports physiotherapist, and holds a PhD in Sports Physiotherapy. Her work focuses on female athlete health, injury prevention, and performance, with a particular interest in how physiological factors influence training, recovery, and long-term athlete wellbeing. Through her academic and applied work, she aims to bridge the gap between research and real-world practice for practitioners working in sport. Dr Macmillan is also the author of the “Contraceptives and the Female Athlete” course available on the Science for Sport platform, where she helps practitioners better understand the complexities of hormonal contraception and its potential implications for female athlete performance and health. Her research and teaching continue to contribute to a growing body of work aimed at improving education, awareness, and practical support for female athletes across sport. FREE 7d SCIENCE FOR SPORT ACADEMY TRIAL SIGN UP NOW: https://bit.ly/SFSepisode241 Learn Quicker & More Effectively Optimise Your Athletes' Recovery Position Yourself As An Expert To Your Athletes And Naturally Improve Buy-In Reduce Your Athletes' Injury Ratese Save 100's Of Dollars A Year That Would Otherwise Be Spent On Books, Courses And More Improve Your Athletes' Performance Advance Forward In Your Career, Allowing You To Earn More Money And Work With Elite-Level Athletes Save Yourself The Stress & Worry Of Constantly Trying To Stay Up-To-Date With Sports Science Research

This week on the Science for Sport podcast, Richard Graves is joined by Emily Jacobson, Assistant Director of Sports Performance at Marquette University. Emily has spent the past decade building and refining a sports science model within a relatively small department, working primarily with men’s and women’s soccer and volleyball. Alongside her role at Marquette, she also contributes to U.S. Soccer in a high-performance capacity. In this conversation, we explore one of the most pressing challenges in applied sports science: how do you simplify complex data streams so they become actionable for coaches and meaningful for athletes? From acute:chronic workload ratios and GPS monitoring to return-to-play frameworks and Power BI dashboards, Emily shares how she transformed “expensive toys” into effective performance tools. She discusses the importance of visualisation, collaboration with data engineers, humility in decision-making, and why the “eyeball test” still matters in a world driven by wearables and AI. For practitioners working in elite sport, or those building systems within constrained environments, this episode offers practical insight into making sports science more impactful, not just more complex. In this episode you will learn: How to simplify GPS and workload data for real-world application Why acute:chronic workload ratios are a framework — not a solution How to build effective data visualisations that coaches actually use The difference between “expensive toys” and performance tools How to structure phased return-to-play models with clear definitions Why collaboration with data engineers and academics can transform departments How to educate athletes in an era of AI, social media and misinformation Why patience and long-term development still matter How to adapt sports science systems in the transfer-portal era Why relationships remain more important than technology About Emily Jacobson Emily Jacobson is the Assistant Director of Sports Performance at Marquette University, where she has worked for the past 10 seasons. A former Marquette women’s soccer student-athlete, she now oversees sports science and performance systems across multiple programmes, with a particular focus on soccer and volleyball. She has helped develop load monitoring models, return-to-play protocols and data visualisation systems that integrate GPS, velocity-based training, force plates, motion capture and body composition analysis. In addition to her work at Marquette, Emily serves as a network employee within U.S. Soccer’s high-performance department. Her approach combines applied performance coaching, collaborative analytics, and a strong emphasis on education and athlete relationships. FREE 7d SCIENCE FOR SPORT ACADEMY TRIAL SIGN UP NOW: https://bit.ly/SFSepisode241 Learn Quicker & More Effectively Optimise Your Athletes' Recovery Position Yourself As An Expert To Your Athletes And Naturally Improve Buy-In Reduce Your Athletes' Injury Ratese Save 100's Of Dollars A Year That Would Otherwise Be Spent On Books, Courses And More Improve Your Athletes' Performance Advance Forward In Your Career, Allowing You To Earn More Money And Work With Elite-Level Athletes Save Yourself The Stress & Worry Of Constantly Trying To Stay Up-To-Date With Sports Science Research

Fresh from pre-season camp in Australia, Richard Graves sits down with Stan Parker, Sports Scientist at the Western Bulldogs, to explore how tracking data, contextual analytics, and interdisciplinary collaboration shape performance in elite AFL. Stan’s journey spans the Brisbane Broncos in the NRL, Queensland Rugby Sevens, and now five seasons embedded within the Bulldogs’ high-performance programme, including a PhD focused on contextualising tracking data beyond simple load metrics. This episode moves beyond “distance covered” and “top speed” to examine how sports science actually influences coaching decisions, athlete development, injury management, and tactical execution. From peak demand analysis and real-world decision-making under fatigue, to AI readiness and workflow efficiency, this is a grounded, practitioner-led conversation about where elite sport is really heading. In this episode you will learn: Why contextualising tracking data matters more than collecting more of it How to compare peak training demands to peak match demands The role of vision and video in translating data for coaches and players How to build buy-in when athletes aren’t “numbers learners” The balance between availability and performance in weekly competition cycles How interdisciplinary decision-making works inside an AFL club Why isolated fatigue “flags” can be misleading How gym-based physical development can be directly tied to on-field outcomes The importance of soft skills in high-performance environments Where AI realistically fits (and doesn’t fit) in elite sports science About Stan Parker Stan Parker is a Sports Scientist with the Western Bulldogs in the AFL. He has previously worked with the Brisbane Broncos and Queensland Rugby Sevens, building experience across multiple elite sporting codes in Australia. Stan is also completing a PhD focused on the contextualisation of tracking data in team sports, exploring how movement patterns and peak demands can better explain performance impact rather than serving purely as load monitoring tools. He is particularly interested in bridging the gap between data analytics, coaching vision, and real-world performance application. FREE 7d SCIENCE FOR SPORT ACADEMY TRIAL SIGN UP NOW: https://bit.ly/SFSepisode241 Learn Quicker & More Effectively Optimise Your Athletes' Recovery Position Yourself As An Expert To Your Athletes And Naturally Improve Buy-In Reduce Your Athletes' Injury Ratese Save 100's Of Dollars A Year That Would Otherwise Be Spent On Books, Courses And More Improve Your Athletes' Performance Advance Forward In Your Career, Allowing You To Earn More Money And Work With Elite-Level Athletes Save Yourself The Stress & Worry Of Constantly Trying To Stay Up-To-Date With Sports Science Research

This episode explores what high performance really looks like inside two of the most demanding professional sporting environments in the world. Richard Graves is joined by Brendan Fahrner, formerly Head of Sports Science at the South Sydney Rabbitohs, and previously a long-serving performance staff member at Richmond Football Club during one of the most successful periods in AFL history. Across a career spanning AFL and NRL, Brendan has worked inside premiership-winning programs, navigated the evolution of GPS and performance analytics, and seen firsthand how elite sport has shifted from data accumulation to data translation. In this conversation, he strips back the noise around technology and shares why soft skills, trust, and clarity of message ultimately drive performance outcomes. From simplifying GPS dashboards to building credibility with senior coaches, Brendan offers a grounded, practical perspective on what actually moves the needle in team sport. He also speaks candidly about practitioner burnout, self-worth, and why sustainability in high performance careers is just as important as physical robustness in athletes. This episode will resonate with sports scientists, S&C coaches, performance managers and aspiring practitioners looking to build impact in elite environments. In this episode you will learn Why high performance is more about relationships than periodisation How to build trust quickly when entering a new club environment The importance of simplifying data for coaches and athletes How to align performance metrics with a coach’s game model Why most GPS reports contain too much irrelevant data How to identify the few variables that truly influence coach perception Practical strategies for athlete-centric monitoring in squad settings The crossover principles between AFL and NRL performance environments How to translate analytics into language players understand Why self-care and professional boundaries matter in elite sport The importance of valuing yourself as a practitioner About Brendan Fahrner Brendan Fahrner is a high performance practitioner with extensive experience in elite Australian sport. He began his career in the early adoption phase of GPS in the AFL, working with Richmond and later Geelong during a period of sustained premiership success. He spent the majority of his career at Richmond Football Club, contributing to three premiership titles and multiple finals campaigns. Most recently, Brendan worked in the NRL with the South Sydney Rabbitohs, applying performance principles across codes and leading athlete monitoring and sports science integration within rugby league. He has developed a strong reputation for simplifying complex performance data, building trust with athletes and coaches, and creating athlete-centred systems in high-pressure team environments. FREE 7d SCIENCE FOR SPORT ACADEMY TRIAL SIGN UP NOW: https://bit.ly/SFSepisode241 Learn Quicker & More Effectively Optimise Your Athletes' Recovery Position Yourself As An Expert To Your Athletes And Naturally Improve Buy-In Reduce Your Athletes' Injury Ratese Save 100's Of Dollars A Year That Would Otherwise Be Spent On Books, Courses And More Improve Your Athletes' Performance Advance Forward In Your Career, Allowing You To Earn More Money And Work With Elite-Level Athletes Save Yourself The Stress & Worry Of Constantly Trying To Stay Up-To-Date With Sports Science Research

Richard Graves welcomes former England fast bowler Ryan Sidebottom to the Science for Sport Podcast for a wide-ranging conversation on longevity, resilience, and the evolution of elite cricket. Across a first-class career spanning more than 20 years, Ryan experienced the game at every level — from sweeping floors and laying bricks in the winter to winning a T20 World Cup with England. In this episode, he reflects on how professional cricket changed during his career, why physical preparation became essential for longevity, and how mindset, curiosity, and self-analysis shaped his success. Ryan speaks openly about setbacks, selection disappointments, returning to the England setup after six years away, and the hard, often unseen work that underpinned his performances. It’s an honest insight into elite performance, long careers, and what really matters behind the scenes. In this episode you will learn: How professional cricket evolved from semi-professional roots to a fully supported high-performance environment Why strength & conditioning became critical to Ryan’s longevity as a fast bowler How he managed long periods outside the England setup and stayed mentally engaged The role of self-analysis, questioning, and learning from senior players What elite environments can learn from England’s 2010 T20 World Cup turnaround Why curiosity and asking questions accelerate development in elite sport How mindset, confidence, and preparation influence consistency over time About Ryan Sidebottom Ryan Sidebottom is a former England international fast bowler with a first-class career spanning over two decades. He represented England in Test cricket and was part of the 2010 ICC World T20-winning squad. At domestic level, Ryan enjoyed success with Yorkshire and Nottinghamshire, winning multiple County Championship titles and taking over 1,000 career wickets. Since retiring, he has remained closely involved in the game through media, hospitality, and ambassadorial roles, with a growing interest in coaching and player development. FREE 7d SCIENCE FOR SPORT ACADEMY TRIAL SIGN UP NOW: https://bit.ly/SFSepisode241 Learn Quicker & More Effectively Optimise Your Athletes' Recovery Position Yourself As An Expert To Your Athletes And Naturally Improve Buy-In Reduce Your Athletes' Injury Ratese Save 100's Of Dollars A Year That Would Otherwise Be Spent On Books, Courses And More Improve Your Athletes' Performance Advance Forward In Your Career, Allowing You To Earn More Money And Work With Elite-Level Athletes Save Yourself The Stress & Worry Of Constantly Trying To Stay Up-To-Date With Sports Science Research

Behind every high-performance environment are people, personalities, and decisions that shape outcomes. This week on the Science for Sport Podcast, Richard Graves is joined by former England international and Premier League defender Warren Barton, speaking from California. Warren reflects on a career that spanned very different eras of elite football, from coming through non-league and the famously demanding culture of Wimbledon’s “Crazy Gang”, to becoming a record signing at Newcastle United during the Entertainers era. Across the conversation, Warren offers a rare, first-hand perspective on the psychology of professional sport: rejection, resilience, team identity, leadership, and how elite environments shape behaviour. The discussion also moves into modern high-performance sport, exploring how man-management, culture, and trust still sit alongside data, technology, and sports science. Warren shares thoughtful insights on coaching, communication, player wellbeing, and why asking an athlete how they feel still matters just as much as what the numbers say. A wide-ranging, honest conversation that will resonate with practitioners working in elite sport, as well as those interested in the human side of performance. In this episode you will learn How early rejection and non-academy pathways can shape resilience and long-term success Why strong team culture and shared identity can create psychological advantages over more talented opponents Lessons from Wimbledon’s “Crazy Gang” environment and what modern teams can still learn from it How elite managers like Kevin Keegan, Kenny Dalglish, and Sir Bobby Robson differed in leadership and man-management Why man-management remains central to performance, even in data-rich environments How elite players and coaches balanced intuition, experience, and emerging sports science practices The importance of trust, togetherness, and players “having each other’s backs” in high-pressure environments Where modern football may be losing connection with basic human communication Warren’s perspective on technology, VAR, and how decision-making affects the athlete and fan experience How coaches can better integrate data with athlete feedback and lived experience About Warren Barton Warren Barton is a former England international footballer who played at the highest level of English football during the 1990s. His career included spells at Wimbledon and Newcastle United, where he became part of Kevin Keegan’s iconic “Entertainers” side and captained the club during one of its most influential Premier League eras. Since retiring from playing, Warren has built a career in broadcasting and coaching, working extensively in the United States as a football analyst and pundit, including coverage of major international tournaments. He holds his UEFA Pro Licence and continues to work across elite football, combining practical experience with a deep understanding of performance, psychology, and leadership. SIGN UP NOW: https://bit.ly/SFSepisode241 Learn Quicker & More Effectively Optimise Your Athletes' Recovery Position Yourself As An Expert To Your Athletes And Naturally Improve Buy-In Reduce Your Athletes' Injury Ratese Save 100's Of Dollars A Year That Would Otherwise Be Spent On Books, Courses And More Improve Your Athletes' Performance Advance Forward In Your Career, Allowing You To Earn More Money And Work With Elite-Level Athletes Save Yourself The Stress & Worry Of Constantly Trying To Stay Up-To-Date With Sports Science Research

In this episode of the Science for Sport Podcast, host Richard Graves is joined by John Noonan, a highly experienced performance coach whose career spans elite football, rugby league and union, Winter Olympic sports, and the world of Formula One. John describes himself as a “gypsy of sport” driven by curiosity, problem-solving, and a deep interest in what actually moves the needle in elite performance. From his early days in football and rugby to supporting drivers in the most intense performance environment in global sport, John shares how his thinking has evolved beyond programmes and protocols, towards relationships, skill execution, and consistency under pressure. The conversation explores how elite performers prepare for the biggest moments, why world-class athletes are “uncommonly consistent,” and how performance staff can better integrate physical, technical, and psychological elements to support athletes when it matters most. John also lifts the lid on working in motorsport, a sport decided by millimetres, milliseconds, and mental control, and reflects on burnout, travel fatigue, and managing performance across relentless global calendars. This is a thoughtful, experience-led discussion for practitioners working at the top end of elite sport, as well as anyone fascinated by what separates the very best from the rest. In this episode you will learn Why elite performance is ultimately a people business, not a programming problem How working across multiple sports shapes better decision-making as a performance coach What “uncommon consistency” really looks like in world-class athletes Why skill execution, not physical capacity, often determines success at the highest level How performance staff can influence athletes who don’t need to listen to them Lessons from Formula One on pressure, precision, and decision-making under fatigue How interdisciplinary teams can improve performance communication in real time Practical insights into managing burnout, travel, jet lag, and long competitive calendars About John Noonan John Noonan is a performance coach and sports scientist with over two decades of experience working across elite sport. His background includes roles in professional football, rugby league and union, Winter Olympic sports, and long-term work within Formula One. Now the founder of Noonan Performance, John works with elite athletes and teams to improve performance through smarter physical preparation, better communication, and a strong emphasis on skill execution and decision-making under pressure. He is known for his relationship-led approach, his ability to work across disciplines, and his focus on solving the right performance problems. FREE 7d SCIENCE FOR SPORT ACADEMY TRIAL SIGN UP NOW: https://bit.ly/SFSepisode241 Learn Quicker & More Effectively Optimise Your Athletes' Recovery Position Yourself As An Expert To Your Athletes And Naturally Improve Buy-In Reduce Your Athletes' Injury Ratese Save 100's Of Dollars A Year That Would Otherwise Be Spent On Books, Courses And More Improve Your Athletes' Performance Advance Forward In Your Career, Allowing You To Earn More Money And Work With Elite-Level Athletes Save Yourself The Stress & Worry Of Constantly Trying To Stay Up-To-Date With Sports Science Research

This week on the Science for Sport Podcast, Richard Graves is joined by Rachel Muse, one of the leading performance chefs working with elite athletes across professional sport.Rachel is the founder of Talk Eat Laugh, a specialist performance-chef service supporting athletes in their own homes. Her work bridges the gap between performance nutrition science and real-life eating habits, ensuring athletes follow precise nutritional plans without meals becoming clinical, restrictive, or culturally disconnected.In this episode, Rachel shares her unconventional journey from mathematics graduate to elite performance chef, and explains how chefs, nutritionists, and sports science teams work together to deliver periodised nutrition away from the training ground. The conversation explores how macronutrient targets are delivered in practice, how food preferences and cultural background shape compliance, and why fuelling the brain is just as important as fuelling the body.This is a rare insight into a part of the performance system that is often overlooked, but critical to recovery, consistency, and late-game performance. In this episode, you will learn What periodised nutrition actually means in practice, beyond the theory How performance chefs work from nutritionist-led macro prescriptions Why chefs should not act as nutritionists, and where the professional boundaries sit How to deliver exact macronutrient targets without meals becoming boring or restrictive The role of carbohydrates in sustaining physical and cognitive performance late in matchesHow cultural background and food identity influence nutritional compliance Why elite performance nutrition is as much about psychology and trust as it is science What “success” really looks like when supporting elite athletes away from the club environment About Rachel Muse Rachel Muse is a performance chef with a background spanning elite hospitality, private households, and professional sport. After an unconventional route into the culinary world, she founded Talk Eat Laugh, a performance-chef business supporting elite athletes across football, rugby, swimming, and motorsport.Rachel works closely with performance nutritionists and sports science teams to deliver highly specific nutritional strategies in athletes’ home environments. Known for her emphasis on collaboration, precision, privacy, and cultural understanding, Rachel specialises in translating complex nutrition plans into meals athletes genuinely want to eat, consistently and compliantly.You can follow Rachel on LinkedIn or find Talk Eat Laugh on Instagram for insights into performance food done properly. FREE 7d SCIENCE FOR SPORT ACADEMY TRIAL SIGN UP NOW: https://bit.ly/SFSepisode241 Learn Quicker & More Effectively Optimise Your Athletes' Recovery Position Yourself As An Expert To Your Athletes And Naturally Improve Buy-In Reduce Your Athletes' Injury Ratese Save 100's Of Dollars A Year That Would Otherwise Be Spent On Books, Courses And More Improve Your Athletes' Performance Advance Forward In Your Career, Allowing You To Earn More Money And Work With Elite-Level Athletes Save Yourself The Stress & Worry Of Constantly Trying To Stay Up-To-Date With Sports Science Research

Creatine is now one of the most widely used and well-researched supplements in elite sport — but few people know the story of how it first made its way into Olympic performance programmes. In this episode of the Science for Sport Podcast, Richard Graves sits down with Steven Jennings, one of the key figures behind the early adoption of creatine in elite sport, to unpack a remarkable story that begins long before creatine was common knowledge. Steven takes us back to the early 1990s — a pre-internet era where sports nutrition research travelled slowly, secrecy mattered, and a single kilogram of creatine played a role in reshaping performance preparation ahead of the Barcelona 1992 Olympic Games. From working directly with pioneering researchers at the Karolinska Institute to navigating Olympic-level scrutiny, this is a rare, first-hand account of how science moved from the lab to the field. Beyond performance sport, the conversation also looks forward. Steven shares why he believes we are only just beginning to understand creatine’s wider potential — from cognition and ageing to plant-based diets and long-term health. This is an essential listen for practitioners who want to understand not just what works in performance nutrition, but how evidence, trust, regulation, and timing shape real-world impact. In this episode you will learn What creatine actually is and how it works at a cellular level How early research in the early 1990s changed elite sport preparation Steven’s role in bringing creatine into Olympic sport ahead of Barcelona 1992 Why creatine was (and still is) legal, safe, and fundamentally different from banned substances How creatine became associated with repeated high-intensity performance and recovery Why creatine research is now expanding beyond sport into cognition, ageing, and health Why we may still be “scratching the surface” of creatine’s full potential About Steven Jennings Steven Jennings is a sports nutrition entrepreneur and former professional cyclist who played a pivotal role in the early commercialisation of creatine for elite sport. In the early 1990s, he worked directly with leading researchers from the Karolinska Institute to help translate groundbreaking creatine research into real-world Olympic performance programmes. Over the past three decades, Steven has remained closely connected to the evolution of creatine research, from elite performance applications to emerging work in health, cognition, and ageing. Today, he continues to focus on education, innovation, and the future direction of creatine science. FREE 7d SCIENCE FOR SPORT ACADEMY TRIAL SIGN UP NOW: https://bit.ly/SFSepisode241 Learn Quicker & More Effectively Optimise Your Athletes' Recovery Position Yourself As An Expert To Your Athletes And Naturally Improve Buy-In Reduce Your Athletes' Injury Ratese Save 100's Of Dollars A Year That Would Otherwise Be Spent On Books, Courses And More Improve Your Athletes' Performance Advance Forward In Your Career, Allowing You To Earn More Money And Work With Elite-Level Athletes Save Yourself The Stress & Worry Of Constantly Trying To Stay Up-To-Date With Sports Science Research

This week on the Science for Sport Podcast, Richard Graves is joined by Brian Roy, a strength and conditioning coach who has spent the past decade working at the sharp end of action and lifestyle sports, including Olympic BMX Freestyle. BMX Freestyle is still a relative newcomer to the Olympic programme, but its physical demands, injury risks and performance challenges are unlike almost any traditional sport. In this episode, Brian shares his unconventional journey into elite sport, from personal training and postgraduate study to travelling the world with BMX athletes on the global stage. Together, Richard and Brian explore what it really takes to prepare athletes for a sport defined by explosive power, aerial skill, high-impact landings and constant travel. Brian offers a refreshingly honest perspective on athlete buy-in, bespoke programming, and why traditional strength testing and rigid systems don’t always transfer to non-traditional sports. This is a fascinating conversation for sports scientists, strength and conditioning coaches, and anyone interested in how performance support adapts when the sport doesn’t fit neatly into a textbook. In this episode you will learn The unique physiological and biomechanical demands of BMX Freestyle competition How to prepare athletes for repeated 60-second, maximal-effort runs across a full competition day Why traditional strength testing and gym-based metrics don’t always translate to action sports How Brian adapted training around constant travel, limited gym access, and athlete preferences Practical strategies for building resilience and reducing injury risk in high-impact sports Why athlete buy-in often comes from listening, adapting, and being present rather than enforcing systems How emerging video and motion-analysis technology could shape the future of training in BMX Freestyle and similar sports About Brian Roy Brian Roy is a strength and conditioning coach with over 10 years’ experience working in action and lifestyle sports. He holds a Master’s degree in Kinesiology and Exercise Science and is currently undertaking further postgraduate study in Applied Sports Science Analytics. Brian has worked closely with elite BMX Freestyle athletes on the international stage, including those competing at the Olympic Games, and has developed a reputation for adaptable, athlete-centred training approaches. His work focuses on performance, resilience, and real-world transfer rather than rigid adherence to traditional testing models. Brian regularly shares insights from his work on LinkedIn and Instagram, where he discusses training philosophy, emerging technology, and lessons learned from working in non-traditional sports environments.

In this episode of the Science for Sport Podcast, host Richard Graves welcomes back Michael Fennell for a deep dive into one of the most misunderstood periods of the performance calendar: winter training. With the competitive season behind us and Christmas disruptions in full swing, Michael shares a practical, experience-led perspective on how elite athletes and practitioners should approach December and the early winter months. From managing training load and avoiding premature peaks, to maintaining performance standards through smart programming, this episode is packed with real-world insight from the track, the runway, and the training ground. Drawing on his work across elite athletics, football, rugby, and para sport, Michael breaks down how training priorities shift between individual and team sports, why fundamentals still matter in an age of performance technology, and how micro-sessions can be used to maintain progress when time and facilities are limited. This is an honest, grounded conversation about perspective, planning, and patience, and why doing the basics exceptionally well still underpins elite performance. In this episode you will learn: How elite athletes should approach December training without peaking too early Why maintaining performance is more important than chasing PBs in winter How to structure micro-sessions when time, facilities, or routine are disrupted The key differences in winter training for team sports vs athletics How and when to prioritise plyometrics, speed, strength, and conditioning Why fundamentals like ground contact time, elasticity, and movement quality still matter How to balance data, technology, and coaching eye in modern performance environments The importance of coach collaboration and open-minded learning What elite preparation looks like heading into major championships and qualification periods About Michael Fennell Michael Fennell is an experienced performance coach working across elite athletics, team sports, and para sport. With close to two decades of coaching experience, he has supported athletes at national and international level, including British champions and elite performers progressing toward major championships. Michael’s coaching philosophy blends technical excellence, physical fundamentals, and athlete-centred planning, with a strong emphasis on sprint mechanics, jumping performance, plyometrics, and long-term development. He is known for his collaborative approach, regularly working alongside other coaches, strength and conditioning practitioners, and support staff to ensure athletes are prepared for the demands of elite competition. FREE 7d SCIENCE FOR SPORT ACADEMY TRIAL SIGN UP NOW: https://bit.ly/SFSepisode241 Learn Quicker & More Effectively Optimise Your Athletes' Recovery Position Yourself As An Expert To Your Athletes And Naturally Improve Buy-In Reduce Your Athletes' Injury Ratese Save 100's Of Dollars A Year That Would Otherwise Be Spent On Books, Courses And More Improve Your Athletes' Performance Advance Forward In Your Career, Allowing You To Earn More Money And Work With Elite-Level Athletes Save Yourself The Stress & Worry Of Constantly Trying To Stay Up-To-Date With Sports Science Research

The festive period can be one of the most challenging times of the year for athletes and practitioners trying to balance performance, recovery, wellbeing and real life. In this episode of the Science for Sport Podcast, host Richard Graves welcomes Dan Richardson back to the show to tackle one of the most relevant (and misunderstood) topics in elite sport: how to manage nutrition, fuelling and hydration over Christmas and the New Year. Drawing on his experience working across football, rugby, rowing and professional cricket, Dan breaks down how athletes can enjoy the festive period without compromising performance. From Boxing Day fixtures and congested travel schedules to Christmas dinners, social events and late nights, this conversation blends applied sports nutrition principles with real-world practicality. Whether you’re working in elite sport, competing at a high level, or simply want evidence-based guidance on fuelling through a disruptive period of the year, this episode delivers clear, actionable insight, without guilt, extremes or fads. In this episode you will learn: How to apply the 80–20 rule to festive eating without harming performance Practical strategies for managing Christmas meals, portion sizes and food choices Why under-fuelling can be just as risky as overindulging during the festive period How athletes should think about macronutrients vs calories when routines break down Smart approaches to travel nutrition and hydration during busy fixture schedules Simple habit-based strategies to stay consistent through Christmas and into January How elite athletes can enjoy social time while still prioritising recovery and readiness About Dan Richardson Dan Richardson is a performance nutritionist who works across elite and professional sport, with experience supporting athletes in football, rugby, rowing and professional cricket. Known for his practical, athlete-centred approach, Dan specialises in helping performers fuel effectively in real-world environments — including congested schedules, travel-heavy periods and high-pressure competitive blocks. He regularly works with athletes navigating complex training and match demands, translating sports science into clear, actionable habits that support both performance and wellbeing. Dan shares evidence-based insight through his applied work and educational content, making him a trusted voice in modern performance nutrition. You can find Dan on Instagram at @DRNnutrition. FREE 7d SCIENCE FOR SPORT ACADEMY TRIAL SIGN UP NOW: https://bit.ly/SFSepisode241 Learn Quicker & More Effectively Optimise Your Athletes' Recovery Position Yourself As An Expert To Your Athletes And Naturally Improve Buy-In Reduce Your Athletes' Injury Ratese Save 100's Of Dollars A Year That Would Otherwise Be Spent On Books, Courses And More Improve Your Athletes' Performance Advance Forward In Your Career, Allowing You To Earn More Money And Work With Elite-Level Athletes Save Yourself The Stress & Worry Of Constantly Trying To Stay Up-To-Date With Sports Science Research

This week, Richard Graves sits down with Lew Porchiazzo, Assistant Director for Strength & Conditioning for Olympic Sports at the University of Michigan. Lew brings more than 16 years of experience at one of the most successful athletic departments in the NCAA. His journey from a Division III football lineman to a leader shaping the development of athletes in softball, gymnastics, men’s soccer and more, is filled with hard-earned lessons, humility, and an unwavering commitment to supporting people first. In this conversation, Lew dives into: • How to develop trust-driven relationships with athletes • What it truly takes to “raise the floor” of athletic performance • Why systems like Perch have changed the way Michigan trains • The realities of guiding young, ambitious athletes through strength, power, and conditioning programmes • The age-old question: How strong is strong enough? How fit is fit enough? Lew’s philosophy blends evidence-based practice, a deep understanding of human behaviour, and a humility-first leadership style that resonates across the world of elite sport. In this episode, you will learn: How Lew progressed from internships to a senior leadership role at Michigan—and what he learned along the way Why treating athletes as humans first is central to unlocking performance How Michigan individualises training across sports with vastly different demands The process of integrating Perch velocity-based training and how it transformed athlete intent and coaching quality How to use real-time data to adjust loads, manage fatigue, and protect athletes from themselves When to stop chasing maximal strength and start focusing on raising the floor for performance How to guide young athletes who want PBs every week without compromising long-term development Why the most fulfilling moments in coaching come from watching athletes realise they’re capable of more than they thought Lew’s leadership philosophy: vulnerability, authenticity, and serving others The role of strength & conditioning in creating athletes who are not only powerful and robust—but durable and available About Lew Porchiazzo Lew Porchiazzo is the Assistant Director for Strength & Conditioning for Olympic Sports at the University of Michigan, where he has worked since 2009. He currently oversees physical development for a range of elite programmes including softball, women’s gymnastics, and men’s soccer. Lew began his career with internships at the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) and Baylor University, before joining Michigan as a graduate assistant. Across 16+ years he has become a central leader within the department, known for his athlete-first approach, relationship-driven coaching style, and commitment to developing staff and students with authenticity and humility. His expertise spans strength training, power development, velocity-based training, long-term athlete development, and programme design across sports with widely different physical demands. Beyond the weight room, Lew is passionate about helping athletes grow as people—and maintaining a love of movement and training long after their competitive days are over. He occasionally even officiates weddings… but you’ll have to listen to the episode to hear that story. FREE 7d SCIENCE FOR SPORT ACADEMY TRIAL SIGN UP NOW: https://bit.ly/SFSepisode241 Learn Quicker & More Effectively Optimise Your Athletes' Recovery Position Yourself As An Expert To Your Athletes And Naturally Improve Buy-In Reduce Your Athletes' Injury Ratese Save 100's Of Dollars A Year That Would Otherwise Be Spent On Books, Courses And More Improve Your Athletes' Performance Advance Forward In Your Career, Allowing You To Earn More Money And Work With Elite-Level Athletes Save Yourself The Stress & Worry Of Constantly Trying To Stay Up-To-Date With Sports Science Research

This week, host Richard Graves sits down with one of the most energetic and thought-provoking voices in modern performance: Niklas Virtanen, Head of Sports Science at FC Midtjylland. If you’ve ever wondered how a club without the financial muscle of Europe’s giants consistently outperforms bigger teams, beating Nottingham Forest away, winning at Celtic, and challenging at the top of the Danish Superliga, this conversation tells you exactly how they do it. Niklas is a rare blend of passion, creativity and evidence-based practice. His presentation at a recent Catapult event had the entire room hooked, and this episode delivers the same energy. From dismantling traditional GPS limitations to redefining how football teams train for micro-actions, set pieces, and physical dominance, Niklas pulls back the curtain on the processes driving Midtjylland’s success. This episode goes deep into the real-world application of sports science, the balance between data and intuition, and why sometimes the most powerful competitive advantage is simply learning to “solve problems without money.” Things You Will Learn Why FC Midtjylland’s entire model is built on “solving problems without money” and how data gives them a competitive edge. How Niklas and his team dominate set pieces using Trackman technology and detailed ball-flight analytics. Why GPS alone is blind to football’s most important movements, and how inertial data captures the micro-actions that matter. How to use accelerometers, gyroscopes and magnetometers to measure real football movement quality. The truth about injury “prediction,” why we still don’t know athletes’ limits, and why subjective data is often your most valuable input. How to balance analytics with player feelings, coaching intuition, and the “eyeball test.” Why communication, not technology, is the biggest challenge when coaching staffs change. Practical ways to design training exercises that actually transfer to match actions (including why traditional rondos may be overrated). How to create buy-in across departments in fast-moving environments with shifting coaching teams. Why the best decisions come from leading with data first, then layering coaching opinions on top. About Niklas Virtanen Niklas Virtanen is the Head of Sports Science at FC Midtjylland, one of Europe’s most forward-thinking football clubs and pioneers in data-driven performance. From Finland’s Jyvaskyla to the top of the Danish Superliga, Niklas has carved out a journey defined by curiosity, relentless learning, and a willingness to challenge traditional methods. Starting his career as a physiotherapist, he transitioned into coaching, performance, and ultimately sports science — where he discovered his passion for practical, applied, football-specific methodology. At Midtjylland, Niklas plays a central role in integrating data, performance analytics, inertial technology and coaching processes. His approach blends scientific rigour with real-world applicability, always anchoring decisions in the question: “Does this help the players perform?” He collaborates closely with coaches, mental performance staff, physios, analysts, and leadership teams, shaping a holistic performance culture built around trust, objective data, and constant communication. Niklas is known across the professional football community for his high energy, creativity, authenticity, and his commitment to pushing the boundaries of what sports science can be. You’ll often find him speaking to — and learning from — industry leaders such as Chris Barnes and Paul Balsom, who he credits with encouraging him to explore unconventional ideas, test them in the real world, and build evidence from the ground up. He shares many of these insights on LinkedIn, where he’s become a respected voice for modern performance practitioners. FREE 7d SCIENCE FOR SPORT ACADEMY TRIAL SIGN UP NOW: https://bit.ly/SFSepisode241 Learn Quicker & More Effectively Optimise Your Athletes' Recovery Position Yourself As An Expert To Your Athletes And Naturally Improve Buy-In Reduce Your Athletes' Injury Ratese Save 100's Of Dollars A Year That Would Otherwise Be Spent On Books, Courses And More Improve Your Athletes' Performance Advance Forward In Your Career, Allowing You To Earn More Money And Work With Elite-Level Athletes Save Yourself The Stress & Worry Of Constantly Trying To Stay Up-To-Date With Sports Science Research

This week, host Richard Graves sits down with former Great Britain and England international basketball player Kofi Josephs, an athlete whose journey through elite sport has been anything but ordinary. From growing up in Birmingham to playing in front of Michael Jordan at the Jordan Brand Classic, suffering two major hip surgeries in the US collegiate system, becoming the British Basketball League’s highest-scoring British player, and navigating the hidden psychological battles behind performance… Kofi’s story is raw, real, and deeply relevant for anyone working in elite sport. Now the founder of WhyNotI, a preventative mental health tech platform designed specifically for elite athletes, Kofi is on a mission to reshape how professional environments understand – and support – the person behind the performer. This episode offers an unfiltered look at the pressures, cultural challenges, expectations, and mental load that athletes carry, and the systemic changes needed to truly support sustainable high performance. What You’ll Learn The hidden mental toll of elite sport and why performance alone never tells the full story. How perfectionism, pressure, and identity shape athlete wellbeing – and where support structures fall short. Why mental health must be preventative, not reactive, if teams want consistency and longevity in performance. Insights into the collegiate system in the US and its cultural, emotional, and psychological challenges for young athletes. Why separating “the athlete” from “the person” is flawed, and how reframing this changes support strategies. The crucial role of coaches, GMs, and ownership in building environments where mental health is prioritised. How WhyNotI is using technology, psychology, and data to influence policy, culture, and player care across elite sport. About Kofi Josephs Kofi Josephs is a former professional basketball player who represented England at the Commonwealth Games and Great Britain at EuroBasket, competing across elite leagues worldwide including Germany, Spain, Switzerland, Saudi Arabia, and Iceland. A psychology graduate and outspoken advocate for athlete mental health, Kofi has built a platform that blends his lived experience with scientific insight. He is the founder of WhyNotI, a preventative mental health tech solution designed to provide bespoke support for elite performers while equipping organisations with the data needed to improve culture, care, and decision-making. Kofi now works across sport, safeguarding, and policy, collaborating with leaders from national governing bodies, Olympic sports, and high-performance environments to drive systemic change. FREE 7d SCIENCE FOR SPORT ACADEMY TRIAL SIGN UP NOW: https://bit.ly/SFSepisode241 Learn Quicker & More Effectively Optimise Your Athletes' Recovery Position Yourself As An Expert To Your Athletes And Naturally Improve Buy-In Reduce Your Athletes' Injury Ratese Save 100's Of Dollars A Year That Would Otherwise Be Spent On Books, Courses And More Improve Your Athletes' Performance Advance Forward In Your Career, Allowing You To Earn More Money And Work With Elite-Level Athletes Save Yourself The Stress & Worry Of Constantly Trying To Stay Up-To-Date With Sports Science Research

This week, host Richard Graves sits down with Charlie Binns, Lead Nutritionist for the England men’s cricket team, fresh from Perth as preparations ramp up for the Ashes. Charlie lifts the lid on what elite fuelling actually looks like across five-day Tests, why recovery is an arms race, and how his team builds simple, repeatable habits the players will actually use, from colour-coded carb periodisation to the humble banana bread on the snack table. He also shares the months of behind-the-scenes logistics you never see: venue-by-venue menus for lunch, tea and post-match; shipping batch-tested supplements across the world; and how day–night “pink ball” Tests flip the entire eating schedule on its head. Expect practical insights, no fluff, and a proper appreciation for just how physically brutal modern cricket really is. What you’ll learn from the episode Cricket’s true physical demands: why a Test bowler can cover ~50 km across a match and repeatedly absorb ~8× bodyweight through the front leg, and what that means for fuelling and recovery. Tour prep, six months out: coordinating stadium caterers, training-day menus, and freighted, batch-tested supplements, plus how strategies are trialled at home before heading overseas. Match-day fuelling made usable: the role of lunch, tea and all-day snack stations; when to use liquids vs solids; and why simple, high-carb options (wraps, bagels, flapjacks, banana bread) win. Carbohydrate periodisation in practice: using colour-coded days to align intake with bowling/fielding workloads, then ramping to a high-carb taper before the first ball. Refuel like a pro: stacking recovery windows, shakes on the final whistle, high-carb changeroom options, team-room snacks, and evening meals, to reduce soreness and restore glycogen for day two (and three). Day–night Test adjustments: how pink-ball timings shift pre-match, “lunch”, “tea” and sleep hygiene, and the tweaks Charlie makes to keep players alert without compromising recovery. Communication that sticks: nudging over lecturing, tailoring to individual preferences, and equipping S&C staff to deliver on-ground during play. About Charlie Binns Charlie Binns (BSc, MSc, SENr, UKAD, ISAK) is the Lead Nutritionist for the England & Wales Cricket Board’s men’s team. He joined the ECB setup after roles across elite rugby and football, including First-Team / Senior Men’s Nutritionist at Tottenham Hotspur and consultancy with Birmingham City FC. He also founded CMB Performance & Nutrition, serving athletes and organisations from academy to international level. Charlie’s academic route began with a First-Class BSc in Sport & Exercise Nutrition at Leeds Trinity University, followed by an MSc in Applied Sports Nutrition at St Mary’s University, Twickenham. He is SENr-registered, UKAD-accredited, and ISAK L1 certified. Before moving into cricket full-time, Charlie built experience in multiple environments to broaden his practice, from Richmond Rugby during his Master’s to league and academy football, a deliberate multi-sport grounding he still credits for his applied approach in cricket. Within England Cricket’s performance team, Charlie’s remit spans: Tour logistics & catering coordination across venues (training, lunch, tea, post-match menus). Carb periodisation frameworks aligned to bowling/fielding loads and match phases. Recovery protocols (e.g., immediate shakes, tart cherry, staged refuelling) to hit repeat high-output days. He’s been part of touring groups across the subcontinent, South Africa and Australia, and has supported senior and Lions squads in major series and tournaments. Media reporting has highlighted his role in individualising fuelling targets for players during high-demand campaigns. Outside the ECB, Charlie has hosted CPD for nutritionists across the county game and continues to contribute to practitioner development within cricket.