Optimize Your Capacity Podcast: Recent Episodes
Nicholas Hagen
The Optimize Your Capacity Podcast with Nick Hagen brings you interviews and insights from top physical therapy, performance training, personal training, and human wellness providers. There be no fluff but just actionable, helpful information you can use today. The podcast is designed to help trainers, coaches, and athletes themselves take their performance to the next level. We will dive into how to train and recover efficiently and help you or your athlete optimize their capacity to perform on all levels.
We sit down with Dr Andrew Torchio. He is a chiropractor and co-owner of Pangea Chiropractic in Bend, OR. Our conversation is fun and dynamic. We review how to build a long term wellness plan. We also discuss the biomechanics of manipulations and how it affects the nervous system. You will leave this podcast with a better grasp of manual therapy and how to improve your long term health.
Today we sit down and discuss principles of an efficient training program. A huge problem in our community is the idea of more is better. The more we run, the more we train, the more we go to workout classes the better. Here we review that principle and more. Enjoy!
We sit down with mindset and mental coach Josh Cordell. Josh specializes in the management of the youth athlete. We discuss limitations of the current sports culture, where athletes fall short, and how he helps athletes' reach their potential. Its a must listen if you are a provider, a parent, or an athlete. Enjoy!
On this discussion based podcast we tease out some principles of motor control issues. Often issues are not related to mobility or stability rather motor output. The body can struggle with interpreting the movement demand and fail at producing an efficient response. We talk through some clinical examples and quick movement fixes. Enjoy!
We sit down with performance coach and soccer coach Joe Locascio. He is a coach for the Bend Timbers soccer club, the head coach for Summit High School Varsity Soccer, and owner of Elite Performance Coaching. We discuss how to train balance, eye tracking, and more. Joe describes how our brain influences movement and how we can improve our movement quality. Enjoy!
Exercise and strength is the king. What can be used to speed up strength gains? Manual therapy. Listen to this podcast to learn how to use manual therapy to accent your care.
We sit down with Dr Plasker to review concussions. During our discussion we review acute management of a concussion, concussion based evaluations, and overall management of neurological pathologies. We also review some principles of vestibular dysfunction. He is a great resource to have in our community.
Today we sit down to talk about program design for workouts. High intensity interval training is a popular training method. We need to be smart about our application of HIIT training and workouts that kick our ass. Give a listen to learn more about program design.
We had the pleasure to sit down with renown strength coach Nick Tumminello today. Our topic was program design for long term fitness. People get lost in today's fitness world. Results are short lived and burn out is common. We review the principles to a long term fitness plan with great outcomes and customer compliance. Give it a listen!
On our discussion based podcast we review things a CrossFit athlete should do to supplement training. Overall CrossFit program design is great, but there are gaps. These gaps can lead to pain or limited movement. Listen to this podcast to learn about movements to add to your training.
We all had a challenging year in 2021. Our world has been flipped upside down by COVID. Here are some things I learned in 2021 that will help shape my career, business, and life going forward. Enjoy!
Today we sit down with a leader in our field Dr Aaron Horschig from Squat University. We review the methodology to assess and train squats. We review assessments, squat fixes, mobility drills, and more. You will leave this talk having a better foundation on how to improve your squats going forward. Thanks Aaaron!
We sit down with mindset coach Jen Davis today. We talk about how to handle recovery from the mental state. Movement, pain, strength, etc are important but what is your mindset during the process. If you can not reflect and learn from your experiences you have a limited outcome. Jen does a great job provide concrete examples on how to improve your mindset when injured, in pain, or simply stressed. Enjoy!
Several of us train or rehab ACL reconstruction athletes. We all make mistakes and overlook things in returning our athletes to play. Here are 5 things I overlooked in my career managing ACL reconstruction athletes.
We sit down to talk with Andrew Millett, physical therapist and owner of Move Strong Physical Therapy in Massachusetts. Andrew runs a successful PT practice inside a premier sports performance facility. We review how to assess, treat, and educate the overhead athlete. We go over common problems with athletes as well as common oversights by providers. You will learn a ton. Enjoy!
On this discussion based podcast, we review subjective, objective, and activity related warning signs of a serious pathology. Pain is part of life. But how do we know if pain is inflammatory and setting ourselves up for failure. This discussion helps us figure out which warnings signs are significant. Enjoy!
We sit down with orthopedic surgeon Dr Askew to review all things foot and ankle. We discuss patient education, anatomy and biomechanics, when surgery is appropriate for foot/ankle cases, and rehab goals. It is great to learn Dr Askew's insight into rehab expectations, surgical goals, and epidemiology of the foot/ankle. Enjoy!
This discussion based podcast reviews a very common case. Achilles and calf issues. Addressing the inflamed tissue is important, but we need to get to the cause of pain. We review what are drivers of pain and so go to training options to improve pain and lower extremity function. Enjoy!
We are lucky to have chiropractor, manual therapist, and movement expert Perry Nickelston on the show. We review patient management principles, the vagus nerve, and briefly dive into the lymphatics. If your clients struggle with chronic pain or you seem stuck with care, this podcast is a must listen. Thanks Perry!
On today's podcast, Nick discussions ways to promote quad strength. He goes over common errors with quad specific strength and the why behind training the quads. He reviews several specific exercises you can do to help your clients build quad strength. Enjoy!
We sit down with Cisco Reyes of Linfield College, Erik Jernstrom of E-Force Performance, and Michael Watts of UnderArmour. We answer questions from our Oregon NSCA members. We talk about when to allow movement errors, key pillars of speed work, tendon issues, and more. Great talk with a group of smart strength professionals. Enjoy!
During this discussion based podcast we break down how to set goals for rehab and training. We talk through how to cater goals to tissue healing, pain, neurological, and strength deficits. We also provide some practical examples on how to handle goal setting. Give it a listen and hopefully it can help you improve your performance.
We sit down with orthopedic surgeon and pediatric specialist Dr Roth of The Center in Bend, Oregon. We review management of the adolescent athlete, ACL tears, scoliosis, hip impingement and more. We review when we feel like its appropriate to have surgery and best practices to manage pain in pediatric patients. Enjoy!
Check out this discussion on the role of icing in health and performance and why we think ice is often over utilized.
Today we sit down with strength coach Tony Gracia out of Industrial Strength in Portland, OR. He is a top level coach and an expert in regards to kettlebell training. It was fun to learn from him and talk through the why behind kettlebells. We discuss types of kettlebells, how to program kettlebell training to build strength, and coaching cues for training with a kettlebell. You will learn a ton. Thanks Tony!
We will review the concept of internal vs external cues and how to implement into training and practice.
Today we talk with sports medicine doc Mark Goodman on regenerative medicine. We review what interventions are currently available and which demographic benefits from each intervention. We review the current status of stem cells in the US and the future of regenerative medicine in healthcare. We also review wellness principles and what we see has pillars to long term health and wellness. Mark is a smart guys and will catch us up on the current status of regenerative interventions. Enjoy!
On this discussion-based podcast we talk about how individual injuries add up to significant dysfunction. We will review a case example of how injuries can progress and give you some tips about being proactive on maintaining efficiency after injury. Enjoy!
Today we sit down and talk with Nick Tores. He is a physical therapist out of the greater New York City area. He has a background heavy in manual therapy and breathing. We talk about how to asses breathing, go to breathing drills, and break down common cases we see in the clinic (shoulder impingement, etc). Nick is a smart guy and follow him on social media for more great content.
On today's discussion based podcast we discuss ways to improve hip mobility. We discuss the difference between mechanical motion and neuromuscular control or strength. We review ways to cause both immediate change and long term change through stability based mobility drills. You will learn three strategies to improve hip range and why they work. We hope you get something out of the discussion you can apply right away. Enjoy!
We sit down with physio and strength coach Pete Rumford to discuss CoreFirst Strategies. We have reviewed this on prior podcasts, but we go into more detail on how to assess and train movement promoting proximal stability. You will leave with an understanding of the principle and how to apply it to any form of training. Enjoy the content and reach out anytime with questions to nickh@capacitypt.com
We sit down with the barbell physio Zach Long talking all things barbell training. Zach is a PT out of North Carolina who teaches through ICE courses on barbell training for medical professionals. He also runs a very successful online platform called the barbell physio (www.barbellphysio.com). Check out his website for the references we refer in the talk. We review assessments, progressions/regressions, training de-loading, manual therapy, and more. Check it out!
Today we sit down with Dr Meyrowitz. He is a pediatrician at COPA clinic in central Oregon. We discuss COVID and its influence on youth. We review recent evidence, vaccines, and the youth mindset during the pandemic. Later in the talk we review common presentations of youth related movement and what he sees as drivers of poor movement. Give it a listen. Please remember to leave reviews on your podcast platform.
On this discussion based podcast I review the role of assessments. It is easy to fall into a trap of over assessing or assessing without purpose. During the discussion I review 5 assessments that can be done that would check for movement efficiency in the entire body. You can pick up an amazing understanding of movement quality with only 5 assessments. I hope you enjoy and gain some perspective.
Had an awesome sit down with PT, strength coach, ATC Charlie Weingroff. If you don't know Charlie, you should. He has been a leader in both PT and performance for years. He is smart, practical, and has tons of high level experience. We talk everything ACLs as he has a new ACL educational product called The ACL in Action. He review mechanisms of injury, surgical procedures, progressions, return to play, and so much more. Great talk that you will not want to miss.
On todays podcast I review the pathophysiology of hip impingement. We then use a case of a runner with hip impingement to review management principles of hip flexion related pain. Tons of great nuggets. Our goal with these podcasts are to teach principles not techniques. If you can learn the over arching principles you then can provide these tools throughout the body with the goal of improving movement efficiency.
Today I sit down with motivational speaker Jake Thompson from Compete Everyday. I wanted to take the time to hear his advice on how to navigate the tough parts of life. Life is never easy or simple. Those who make the best of it look at negatives as challenges and are proactive on being successful. This principle and more are discussed in our podcast. Give it a listen. Follow Jake and Compete Everyday for more reading content, lectures, and more. Enjoy!
Today we talk shoulders. The shoulder, like the knee, is stuck in a difficult situation. There are many structures which influence shoulder function. If any of these structures become dysfunction, shoulder pain will likely ensue. On this podcast we review structures which influence should pain. You will leave with a better understanding of anatomy and at finding what drives shoulder pain. Also go to capacitypt.com to get the free shoulder e book for tons of great free info on shoulder health.
Today I sit down to talk with the head of performance for the NBA franchise Portland Trailblazers Jesse Elis. We review his sports PT pathway, concepts of collaboration between providers, and much more. We review case based examples on how a PT and strength coach can collaborate for optimal outcomes. Give a listen and learn how to communicate and collaborate in a difficult health and wellness field. Enjoy!
On this discussion based podcast I sit down to talk about attributes of a durable runner. Meaning, what key movement patterns should we assess and train to keep a runner healthy and pain free. Likewise, if we are dealing with an injured runner these would be common areas to check. There is way more to a healthy runner than 5 attributes but these are top tier patterns that influence running economy. Give it a listen and try out the tests yourself. Enjoy!
Today I was lucky enough to sit down with my wife Lindsey Hagen. She is a physical therapist as well but also an ultra-marathoner and mother of two. We talk about her pathway to ultra-running, how to balance work and life, mindset, pain management, and rehabilitation/performance of the endurance athlete. Its a fun discussion and you can pick up the fact we know each other a little bit :). Enjoy!
On todays discussion based podcast we review the anatomy and biomechanics of the thoracic spine and its role in our function. We break down common dysfunctional patterns with the thoracic spine and how they present. Also, we get into a battery of tests and treatment options we can use to determine if the thoracic spine is a driver of dysfunction in our clients. Hope you enjoy!
Today I sit down with Lenny Macrina from Champion PT in Boston, MA. Our topic is on baseball but we branch out to discuss PT career advice, outpatient PT practice tips, and more. Lenny has an awesome track record from publishing several papers on baseball rehab and performance, being a consultant for the Tampa Bay Rays, and working with the top surgeons in the country. We are able to tap into some of his experiences as well as insights in movement efficiency. Give it a listen. Leave a review. Come back for more great content.
On this discussion based podcast we will review how to manage both an acute ankle sprain and chronic ankle instability. We will formulate the discussion based on cases. We review acute care management, biomechanics and manual therapy, and exercise selection.
Today we sit down with Podiastrist Dr Westfall from Bend, OR. We went through list of foot problems and her approach to foot care. We review differential diagnosis, conservative foot care options, plantarfascitis, bunions, neuromas, and more. She is an awesome clinician and you will get tons of great info from the talk. Enjoy!
Today we sit down with Crossfit and performance coach Sean Wells who owns Oregon Crossfit in Bend, OR. Sean has a ton of experience in training athletes and fitness clients and it shows in our conversation. We discuss his pillars of Crossfit programming, how he modifies programming if any between athletes, and his views on recovery. During the interview we even get into specifics of methods to improve posterior chain strength and managing pain. It's a great discussion and I guarantee you will get some valuable information.
On this discussion based podcast, we are starting a new series of breaking down a common case we see in the clinic. This beneficial to learn about a thought process and a treatment progression. We are going to review a case of a 22 year old skier who is 8 weeks out of ACL hamstring graft reconstruction. We are going to hit on general ACL rehab tips but most importantly review the battery of tests to determine function and readiness to play. Give it a listen. Reach out or leave comments if you want a specific case to be covered. Enjoy!
We sit down today to talk with physical therapist Seth Oberst. Seth is based out of Atlanta and has developed a niche in stress and pain management. He teaches courses across the country regarding all things stress management. We discuss so many interesting topics. We review the interconnection between stress and pain. We talk about how to best use the subjective exam, the role of manual therapy and touch in pain, breathing, and so much more. He is a crazy smart guy and he does an amazing job at putting complex concepts into practical terms. Enjoy!
On this discussion based podcast I define balance, review ways to assess balance, and lastly how to optimize balance and performance. Enjoy!
On this podcast we sit down with Alan Stein Jr to talk strategies to improve performance and productivity. I got to meet Alan years ago when he was a strength and conditioning coach for DeMatha High School and I was a physical therapist training basketball athletes. During our discussion we review how he transitioned from coach to speaker. We also hit on aspects of culture, work ethic, and common deficiencies in the workforce. Give it a listen and enjoy!
We all struggle getting skill and movement to stick long term. What I review on this discussion based podcast are strategies to retain skill that we teach. These are principles I recently review at the NSCA Oregon state clinic. Enjoy!
Today we sit down with Erik from E force performance in the greater Portland metro area. Erik is a high level coach running a renown training facility. We discuss principles we train outside of a training session. Meaning how do we coach and manage the client outside of our 1-2 hour training session. We talk mindset and psychology, recovery, rest, sleep, and more. Erik has great insight and a great way to put complex topics into easy to swallow terms. Enjoy!
The discussion based podcast today is on oversights regarding the foot and ankle. The foot-ankle is a complex region with 7,000 nerve endings, 26 bones, and 30 joints. There is more to efficient foot function than stretching the calf and heel raises. The big issue is often we treat or train to correct symptoms vs causes. On this podcast we will break down 4 common misconceptions and strategies to improve foot function. Give it a listen and hopefully you learn a thing or two. Enjoy!
Today we sit down with Zac Cupples. If you haven't heard of him, look him up. Super smart and talented PT with a diverse background. He has extensive background in postural restoration institute being mentored by Bill Hartman. He has training in SFMA, dry needling, and much more. Zac was the physical therapist for the Memphis Grizzles, teaches his own course called The Human Matrix, and speaks at conferences around the nation. What I love about Zac is his ability to make complex deep topics simple. During our discussion we talk about things outside of the traditional PT realm. We review craniocervical alignment, swallowing, breathing, upper airway, sleep posture, overall posture, and much more. Enjoy!
Today on the discussion based podcast I review my insights into the role of manual therapy. A big point to be made is that we have to try to avoid to be dogmatic meaning we must avoid always and never statements. Manual therapy is not the end all be all. It should never be the only things or the main thing we do. Likewise, we shouldn't avoid manual therapy because it lacks high level evidence of exercise. It works. It gets better results faster. So lets dive into how I see manual therapy fitting into a treatment. Enjoy
Today we sit down with Chris Johnson out of Seattle, Washington. Chris has built a reputation as a leader in running performance but really he is a leader in the PT profession as a whole. We talk about the value of the subjective and listening. We review running related evaluation tools including gait analysis. We talk through some specific on how he manages a running athlete. But really the big take away from our discussion is his simple and effective approach to patient management. We hope you enjoy the listen. Subscribe to see when the new podcast come outs (every other Monday).
Why Can't We All Just Get Along? This discussion based podcast reviews strategies to improve your own development and outcomes through collaboration with local providers. We review 4 key methods to improve collaboration. If we all put more effort towards building a team based approach to management of our clients everyone wins. After listening to this podcast you will leave with some tasks to start building your local team of providers. Enjoy!
Today on the podcast we sit down with PT and strength coach Carol Ferkovic Mack out of Cleveland Ohio. She runs a cash based PT clinic, is the director of a local high school athletic training department, is a running coach, and play a significant role in the APTA. We talk about tons of great content including training the female athlete, comparing crossfit vs running, and much more.
Here we are discussing a principle developed by Gregg Johnson of the institute of physical art. The idea of local vs global movers and how to train a local first approach to movement.
Today we sit down with Gabe of the basketball docs and talk all things basketball. We review movement prep strategies for basketball players. Common basketball injuries and why we think they happen. We get into breaking down fundamental movement patterns, how to handle basketball athletes, and much more. Enjoy
On this discussion based podcast we will discuss how to blend the worlds of rehabilitation and strength training. A quote by Charlie Weingroff "rehab=training" is 100% accurate but how do you practically break that down. How do you take someone from pain into strength training or vice versa. We will break down some key concepts to bridging the gap and what each profession can do better.
Today during our discussion with Cisco we get to learn about his interesting career path and talk all things youth training. We talk blending academics and training. We review principles of training youth vs adults. We talk how to perform intake evaluations on youth. We also dive into recovery and diet and much more. Cisco is a top level professor, coach, and person and I know you will enjoy this discussion.
The topic of this discussion based podcast is Glute Training. What are strategies to improve glute firing and control. During the discussion we will review mobility, neuromuscular control, and functional training to improve glute recruitment. We will review how to incorporate glute training into your program and problems commonly seen in the gym or clinic.
On todays episode we talk with Bradford Scott of the Atlanta Braves. He is the director of performance for the braves and has an amazing background and education. He is a life long learner and just speaking with him makes me excited to learn more myself. We talk practical examples of program design. During the interview we review how he determines if someone is ready to train. We review principles of movement efficiency and how he programs movement quality into daily training. He does a great job of providing practical advise at both the individual and team level. He is a great person to learn from and we hope you enjoy the discussion.
On this episode we interview orthopedic surgeon Tim Bollom from the Center in Bend, OR. Over the years we have had the chance to collaborate on patient care and built a strong relationship. We talk all things knees. We review common patterns we see in the clinic. Up to date meniscal surgical techniques. We do a crash course on what we think of the current state of ACL reconstruction and rehabilitation. We review cartilage salvation procedures. We also step back and talk communication and networking. How can PTs and MDs collaborate to improve patient care. The discussion is solid and we hope you enjoy the content.
Episode 5 is another discussion based podcast. We will be discussing what additional tests can be completed to get a better overall picture of the performance of your athlete or client. We will review strengths and limitations of the functional movement screen. We will review 5 tests each looking at different pillars of movement quality. With each test we will describe the "why" behind each test and give a few exercise tips on how to correct it if quality is poor.
Matt Hauck holds a bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science from Western Oregon University and a master of science in exercise and sport science from Oregon State University. Additionally, Matt is a certified strength and conditioning specialist by the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Prior to joining the Timbers, Matt spent one year (2016) working as the sport science research director for Falcon Pursuit. Matt has also served as the sport science coordinator and graduate strength coach for Oregon State University’s football program, while also working as the instructor of exercise and sport science in two years (2013-15) with Oregon State University.
Today Matt and I talk about his role as a sports scientist with the Portland Timbers of the MLS. We review practical advice on monitoring performance metrics for recreational athlete, for an entire sports team, and for fitness professionals and their clients. Matt has some encouraging remarks regarding the future of technology in sports. We also get to discussing injury prevention or better yet injury mitigation and how data can help determine readiness. Matt is a great guy who really understands the practical side of technology and data in sports. I hope you enjoy the discussion.
In today’s discussion we will be discussing the role of neuromuscular training in athletic performance. Specifically how can we train the neuromuscular system to improve our capacity. We will define neuromuscular control, the role of pain and neuromuscular function, how to assess and train the neuromuscular system, and shine some light on common errors in neuromuscular training. I think you will really enjoy the discussion. Leave us feedback on your thoughts or email with any additional questions at nickh@capacitypt.com Enjoy!
EPISODE 1 IS A DISCUSSION BASED FORMAT ON HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR MOVEMENT CAPACITY. SPECIFICALLY HOW TO FIND PURPOSE BEHIND YOUR MOVEMENT PATTERN TRAINING AND WHEN IT IS APPROPRIATE TO PROGRESS, REGRESS, OR MOVE ON.
In episode 3, we are holding a discussion on burn out. What is burn out? How do we manage burn out? How can we be proactive to ensure a long lasting full-filling career. There are many angles to this tricky discussion. There is not a perfect job and burn out is inevitable. Hopefully you finish listening to this podcast with ideas to kick start your energy and passion at work. Enjoy!