Synapse Performance Podcast: Recent Episodes
David Nolan
The Synapse Performance Podcast brings you leading expert knowledge in areas of health, nutrition & performance.
It's a must listen for any athlete or coach looking for pragmatic evidence-based information.
Hosted by David Nolan
In this episode, David is joined by sports scientist at Dublin GAA and researcher at Technological University Dublin, Shane Malone.
In this, the second of a two part episode, David & Shane discuss the role of the sports scientist in elite level sport.
Topics of conversation include:
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Using data in physical preparation
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Managing fatigue
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Energy system development
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Increasing player robustness
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Understanding the physiological target of training
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Integrating conditioning into a team sport training session
In this episode, David is joined by sports scientist at Dublin GAA and researcher at Technological University Dublin, Shane Malone.
In this, the first of a two part episode, David & Shane discuss the role of the sports scientist in elite level sport.
Topics of conversation include:
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What is the role of the sport scientist?
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Deciding what metrics are important to collect
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Effective data collection methods
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Effective interpretation of data
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GPS data collection
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External and internal load monitoring
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Effective presentation and communication of data to coaches and players.
In this episode, David & Mark answer questions submitted by listeners.
These questions include:
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What are common mistakes people make when interpreting research
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How can you more effectively apply research with your clients and athletes?
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How to deal with science deniers?
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How to argue on social media?
Full show-notes available at: www.synapseperformance.ie/podcasts/episode132
In this episode, David is joined my Dr. Tommy Lundberg.
Dr. Lundberg is a lecturer and researcher in the Karolinska Institute in the area of clinical physiology measures, in particular muscle physiology.
In this episode, David & Dr. Lundberg discuss:
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The anthropometric and physiological differences between biological male and females.
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Sporting performance differences between biological males and females
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Testosterone suppression in transgender women and it's influence on physiological variables.
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Transgender athletes in sport.
Full show notes available at: www.synapseperformance.ie/podcasts/episode131
In this episode David and Mark have an in-depth discussion on the topic of recovery and provide a wealth of practical advice.
The pair discuss:
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Training Load Management
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Sleep
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Psychological Stress
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Nutrition and Supplements
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Active, Passive and Novel Recovery Methods (Ice baths, heat, compression garments etc.)
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The Role of Beliefs, Placebo & the Biopsychosocial Model in Recovery
Full show notes available at:
www.synapseperformance.ie/podcasts/episode130
In this episode, David is joined by Limerick senior football S&C coach Adrian O'Brien, performance nutritionist at Dublin GAA Mark Germaine, and S&C coach with Donegal senior football (2015-2020) Paul Fisher.
The group discuss:
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Designing and structuring a pre-season
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What to focus on during lockdown
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Reducing injury risk in GAA
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Do GAA players really need to be big and strong?
Full show notes available at:
www.synapseperformance.ie/podcasts/episode129
In this episode of the podcast, David is joined by PhD researcher Tim Smithies.
Tim is a researcher based at the University of Limerick in the E-sports research lab and is completing a PhD in conjunction with the Irish Research Council and Logitech.
In this episode, the pair discuss:
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What is E-Sports?
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What roles do S&C and sports science play in E-sports?
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What is the future of sports science research in E-Sports?
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What influence does E-Sports have on health and sleep?
Full show-notes available at: www.synapseperformance.ie/podcasts/episode128
In this episode, David is joined by Synapse Head of Nutrition, Mark Germaine.
David and Mark discuss whether they believe CBD supplementation is worthwhile for athletes and field some listener questions on the future trends in sports science and S&C, and reflect on 2020.
Full show notes available at:
www.synapseperformance.ie/podcasts/episode127
In this episode, David is joined by founder and owner of The Fight Dietician, Jordan Sullivan.
Jordi has an Undergraduate Degree in Exercise and Nutrition Science and a Masters of Dietetic Studies. After completing his studies, Jordi moved to Canada, where he was exposed to an MMA scene that far exceeded that of Australia. He realised that it was only a matter of time until this enthusiasm towards the sport was mirrored back home in Australia and his dream of working in Combat Sports Nutrition could become a reality.
Since then, Jordi has established himself as one of the leading Practitioners in Australia and New Zealand and has worked with the regions most successful athletes and teams. He is passionate about raising awareness of safe practices when it comes to making weight and using Nutrition as a tool for Performance, not just for weight loss.
In this episode, David and Jordan discuss his experiences on the UFC Fight Island and where athletes go wrong when using sweating methods to cut weight.
In this episode, David is joined by Dr. Aoife Lane
Dr Aoife Lane is Head of Department of Sport and Health Sciences at AIT and Founder of the Women’s Gaelic Players Association. Aoife completed the BSc in Sport and Exercise Science in University of Limerick before undertaking a Masters in Health Promotion in NUI Galway and a PhD in Physical Activity in Irish Women in WIT. Aoife has lectured in Physical Activity and Health, Research Methods, Statistics, Epidemiology, and GAA Coaching. Aoife was a member of the inaugural National GAA Health and Wellbeing group.
In this episode, David and Aoife discuss the establishment on the GAA sports science working group and their goals and objectives.
Dr. Neil Welch completed his undergraduate degree in Sports Science and Physiology BSc (Hons) at the University of Leeds, specialising in his final year in Biomechanics. He then undertook his MSc in Strength and Conditioning at the University of Bolton alongside Strength and Conditioning roles within Winter sports including national Alpine skiing programmes and then international snowboard cross. Further roles with multiple sports with Locker27 and in gait analysis in London followed before his move to the Sports Surgery Clinic in 2013. He completed his PhD on the role of strength and explosive strength in rehabilitation and performance with Dublin City University in 2019. He has a special interest in this regard in the Biomechanics of cutting.
He is the head of knee services within the SSC overseeing the flagship ACL review service.
In this episode Neil discusses:
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What is agility?
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How do we train to improve agility?
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How do we periodise agility and speed training?
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How important is training deceleration?
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How can we improve deceleration ability?
Neil's researchgate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Neil_Welch
Neil's Instragram: https://www.instagram.com/agilitycoach/
Neil's twitter: https://twitter.com/nwconditioning
In this episode, David is joined by performance analyst, Brian Fitzpatrick.
Brian Fitzpatrick’s expertise derives from over a decade of working many teams across a variety of sports and levels in Ireland and the United Kingdom.
Brian has always been passionate about sport and whilst studying a Sports Science Degree in University, he completed his dissertation with the Welsh Rugby Union in 2014. This investigated the intervals between high intensity activities in tier 1 rugby internationals which led him to take an internship in Ireland working closely with many of Ireland’s biggest teams, including the Dublin Senior Hurlers.
Brian then accepted a role with the London Irish Rugby Club as the Academy Analyst. During this time, Brian was part of the U18 premiership winning support staff in his first season, before being promoted to Academy Analyst and Administrator.
The pair discuss:
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What is performance analysis and how has it's role changed over the years
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How to effectively integrate performance analysis into coaching and with other streams of sports science
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How organisational structure can massively impact the effectiveness of data flow and efficiency in a team
In this episode of the Synapse Performance podcast, David is joined by Broderick Chavez.
Bio from Broderick's website:
"Broderick Chavez is the Evil Genius. He’s a renowned trainer based in the US and has trained champions, Olympians and IFBB Pros as well as hundreds of other athletes. He is a sports performance expert, biologist, chemist, coffee connoisseur and an insomniac.
Not only has Broderick worked in Sports Performance field 30 years, he’s competed at a national level in bodybuilding, powerlifting and strongman.
He’s a critical thinker, lifter, speaker and thought provoker.
Broderick is uncensored and controversial. Rather than trying to prove to you or anyone else that he is the singular outlet for truth, he hopes to stimulate thought, experiment and dialogue that will bring us all closer to the truth."
In this episode, David and Broderick discuss performance enhancing drugs, the thought processes Broderick goes through when designing PED programs for his clients, and the methods used to avoid detection of drugs in tested sports.
In this episode, David is joined by the current director of the UKSCA, Rich Clarke.
Rich is an Accredited Strength and Conditioning Coach having previously worked with Gloucester Rugby Club and The Bristol Academy of Sport before transitioning into teaching in higher education in 2013. He has led programmes at both undergraduate and postgraduate level before joining Birmingham City University to lead the Sport and Exercise Science Degree in 2019.
He is currently studying for his PhD part time looking at performance and injury during agility manoeuvres. He continues to actively coach with the girls FA talent pathway and within other private environments.
Full show notes available at: www.synapseperformance.ie/podcasts/episode121
In this episode, David is joined by strength and conditioning coach Keir Wenham-Flatt.
Keir has worked with leading professional teams all around the world, predominantly in rugby.
Keir is an outspoken individual who highlights the reality of working in professional sport and has recently left professional sports coaching to pursue full-time his businesses, Rugby Strength Coach & Strength Coach Network.
In this episode, David & Keir discuss the realities of working in professional sport, Keir's criticisms of the UKSCA, gaps in coach education and how S&C coaches can be more influential.
In this episode, David is joined by Dr. Tom Maden-Wilkinson.
Tom is an established researcher in Neuromuscular Physiology. He completed his PhD at Manchester Metropolitan University examining the age related changes in skeletal muscle as part of the EU-funded myoage project.
Upon completion in 2013, Tom moved to Loughborough University as a teaching fellow in Exercise Physiology, contributing to teaching across the undergraduate and postgraduate sports and exercise science programmes.
During his time at Loughborough, Tom conducted research as part of the NCSEM and the Centre for Sport, Exercise and Osteoarthritis as funded by Arthritis Research UK.
He joined the Academy for Sport and Physical Activity at Sheffield Hallam University in January 2017 as a Lecturer in Sports and Exercise Science, with his teaching focus in Exercise Physiology. In addition, Tom is an associate researcher of the Centre for Sports Engineering Research.
Full show-notes available at:
www.synapseperformance.ie/podcasts/episode119
Strength coach and PhD researcher, Arthur Lynch joins David on this weeks episode.
This episode follows a slightly different format from the standard interview style show.
Arthur and David discuss a recent paper reviewing methods of monitoring and regulating resistance training.
Then the pair discuss their respective thought processes they undergo when designing a strength and conditioning program for athletes.
Full show-notes available at: www.synapseperformance.ie/podcasts/episode118
In this episode, David is joined by performance nutritionist, Kate McDaid.
Kate studied Food Science at the University of College Dublin before following her ambition and moving to the UK to complete an MSc in Sports and Exercise Nutrition at Loughborough University. She landed a position in a nutrition consultancy over there quickly progressing to Senior Health and Performance Nutritionist where she started to build an extensive portfolio working with professional sports teams, elite sporting scholars, corporate clients, charity organisations, weight-loss and health seeking individuals. She took this experience back to Ireland with her in 2017 and founded NutriKate, a high performance nutrition consultancy that is based in Dublin.
Link to Kate's website: https://nutrikate.com/
Link to Kate's instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nutrikate_com
In this episode, David and head of nutrition at Synapse Performance Mark Germaine sit down and discuss all elements of how to set up a successful off-season as a GAA athlete.
The pair discuss all aspects of the off-season from nutrition, S&C and recovery.
In this weeks episode, David is joined by the winner of the first Crossfit Games, and founder of OPEX Fitness, James Fitzgerald.
OPEX Founder and industry-leading educator, James FitzGerald, has dedicated his life to bringing honor to the coaching profession. OPEX Coaching Education and Gyms Licensing Programs provide coaches with the tools needed to professionalize their passion. The OPEX Coaching Certificate Program reflects his 25 plus years of coaching expertise and is set apart by providing comprehensive coaching theory as well as practical application of its principles. OPEX continues to educate thousands of coaches around the world each year through a dynamic digital platform and live courses.
In this episode, David and James discuss:
Differentiating Training For Elite Performance Versus Health
Autonomy In Fitness
Periodization In Crossfit
Functional Fitness As An Olympic Sport
Link to OPEX Fitness: https://opexfit.com/
In this episode, David is joined by Dr. Jake Reed.
Jake is an assistant professor in the department of kinesiology at the University of Northern Iowa and a coach at Renaissance Periodisation.
Jake and David discuss current research in the area of athlete monitoring and how practitioners should construct their athlete monitoring systems. The pair also discuss the increasing prevalence of technology in the area of strength and conditioning and the pros & cons of this trend.
In this episode, David is joined by Dave Hembrough.
Dave is a senior sports science officer at Sheffield Hallam University.
Dave is the university's lead strength and conditioning coach. He has significant applied experience at Olympic and international level having supported teams at the 2012 Olympics and the Commonwealth Games as well as coaching numerous world champions in a variety of sports.
Dave is a well-recognised and respected S&C coach and also a qualified and experienced sports therapist. Dave graduated from Sheffield Hallams Sport Science programme and has also completed post graduate studies in both Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation (MSc) and Advanced Business Practice and Business Engagement (PGDip).
In this episode, Dave discusses his experiences in elite performance and how he uses S&C as a means to create positive changes and development in the community.
Below are some of the links Dave alluded to in this episode:
Link to the Sheffield Hallam S&C Coaching MSc: https://www.shu.ac.uk/courses/sport-and-physical-activity/msc-strength-and-conditioning-coaching/full-time Positive Youth Development Through Sport key text: https://www.routledge.com/Positive-Youth-Development-through-Sport-second-edition-2nd-Edition/Holt/p/book/9781138891814 Global Action Plan on Physical Activity 2018-2030: More active people for a healthier world. https://www.who.int/ncds/prevention/physical-activity/global-action-plan-2018-2030/en/ Free Course: Future Learn Sport For Sustainable Development https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/sport-for-sustainable-development International Council of Sport Science and Physical Education: https://www.icsspe.org/ Sport England Towards An Active Nation: https://www.sportengland.org/why-were-here Kazan Action Plan for Sustainable Development Goals Through Sport: https://en.unesco.org/news/united-nations-general-assembly-acknowledges-important-role-kazan-action-plan-advancing-sport
In this episode, David is joined by sports psychologist Hugh Gilmore to field questions submitted by the listeners on various topics of sports psychology.
In this episode, David is joined by experienced S&C coach and PhD. researcher, Mikey Kiely.
Mikey discusses his PhD. research which examined the physiological demands of jockeys during horse racing.
Mikey offer some insights into his findings which may inform the preparation of jockey athletes.
In 2020, Synapse Performance surveyed 92 Irish sports scientists and S&C coaches to gauge the current employment landscape.
People were surveyed about education, salary and work conditions.
In this episode, David discusses the results of this survey.
In this episode, David is joined by sports science consultant, Rob Pacey.
Rob previously worked as a strength and conditioning coach & sports scientist in professional soccer.
Rob then set up strength of science, a consultancy and education company.
Rob is well known as the host of the Pacey Performance Podcast which features interviews with world leading strength and conditioning practitioners.
David & Rob discuss the current state of employment in professional sport and what students can do to enhance their chances of employment.
Full shownotes available at: www.synapseperformance.ie/podcasts/episode109
In this episode, David is joined by Dr. Reid Reale.
Reid Reale is the Performance Nutrition Manager for the UFC Performance Institute Shanghai. The UFC Performance Institute Shanghai provides interdisciplinary services of MMA technical training, sport science, strength & conditioning, sports nutrition and physical therapy for professional and academy UFC athletes. The UFC Performance Institute in Shanghai and Las Vegas also share best practices for performance optimization with athletes and coaches around the world in other sports.
Recognized as a leading expert in sport nutrition research and practice, in particular combat sport nutrition, Reid Reale has over 10 years’ experience working with elite, professional and Olympic athletes. Prior to joining the UFC, Reid was most recently employed as a Senior Scientist with the Gatorade Sports Science Institute at the prestigious IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida; where he conducted research and provided sports science and nutrition services to elite and professional athletes, including those in the NFL, NBA and MLB. Prior to his role with GSSI, Reid was the lead dietitian for the Australian Institute of Sport’s (AIS) Combat Centre, working with the country’s best Judo, Boxing, Wrestling and Taekwondo athletes in the lead up to the 2016 Rio Olympics and beyond.
In addition to working with Australia’s best combat sport athletes, Reid provided services to many of the top combat sports nations in the world’s elite teams, including; Japan Judo, New Zealand Judo, China Judo, Philippines Boxing, Brazil Boxing, Ireland Boxing, Thailand Taekwondo, Egypt Taekwondo, as well as many high performing individual Olympic and World Championship medalists.
During his time at the AIS, Reid also completed his PhD which focused on acute weight management (weight cutting and post-weigh-in recovery) in Olympic Combat Sport athletes. As a researcher and speaker, Reid has published heavily cited work on the topic of weight management for combat sports, and has presented this work at a number of sports science and nutrition conferences around the world.
Full show-note available at:
www.synapseperformance.ie/podcasts/episode108
In this episode David is joined by researcher and lecturer Dr. John Fernandes.
John joined Hartpury University in August 2017 as a lecturer in Strength and Conditioning and has recently course led the BSc Sport and Exercise Sciences degree. Prior to this he lectured at the University of Chester whilst completing his PhD which examined the acute strength and power responses to resistance exercise in trained middle-aged males. John’s recent research has focused on velocity-based training, particularly seeking to explore the reliability and agreement of wearable accelerometers and linear position transducers. His other research interests include fatigue, exercise-induced muscle damage and ageing. During the course of his education he gained experience as strength and conditioning coach in a number of settings (e.g. Warrington Wolves RLFC, Welsh RU, GB rowing, Chester Hockey Club).
Twitter: @DrJFTFernandes
Instagram: @life_of_a_lecturer
In this episode, David is joined by researcher and performance nutritionist Dr. Fionn McSwiney.
Dr. Fionn McSwiney is a researcher at Dublin City University and a runs Lucid Nutrition Consultancy.
In this episode, David & Fionn discuss the ketogenic diet in an objective and fair way, delving into the role it may play in athletic performance and health.
In this episode, David is joined by PhD. researcher and strength coach, Kedric Kwan.
Kedric is currently completing a PhD. under the supervision of Dr. Eric Helms. Kedric's research examines weight cutting practices in strength sport.
Kedric is an experienced strength coach and performance nutritionist, particularly in the sport of powerlifting. Kedric is part of the very progressive coaching company, The Strength Guys.
David & Kedric discuss their training/coaching philosophies and give practical advice for strength athletes.
Full show-notes available at: www.synapseperformance.ie/podcasts/episode105
In episode 104, David is joined by DCU researcher Dr. Stephan Behan.
Stephen’s research is all about children’s physical activity. At the moment, Ireland is on track to become the most obese nation in Europe by the year 2030. There are lots of reasons why Ireland has come to this and you can see it all around you in everyday life. How many of us can say we don’t spend half our day staring at some form of screen or another? When we dig a little deeper, we can see that Irish children are spending less and less time being physically active. Stephen’s research is trying to stop this.
The project, called Moving Well Being Well, aims to break the mould and intervene early in a child’s life to increase their physical activity levels. How can we do this? We want to focus on improving children’s confidence and motivation towards physical activity through developing their fundamental movement skills.
Fundamental Movement Skills are basic skills, like running, jumping, catching, throwing, etc., and these are the foundation on which all other movement or sports specific skills are built. If a child does not develop these skills early, they will not have the confidence in their physical ability to try anything new. Fast forward a decade and we have now have a generation uninterested in physical activity.
Through Moving Well-Being Well, we hope to instil Irish children with a confidence and enthusiasm for physical activity for years to come, and in doing so, turn the tide on obesity in Ireland.
In episode 103, David joined by applied sports psychologist Hugh Gilmore. Hugh holds an undergraduate degree in sports and exercise sciences and a masters in applied sports and exercise psychology. Hugh is also an accredited sports psychologist with the Irish Institute of Sport & BASES. David & Hugh discuss athlete identity, coping with anxiety & uncertainty, motivation vs. commitment, pragmatic advice for coaches dealing with stressed athletes.
In this episode, David is joined by GAA performance nutritionist Conor O'Neill.
Conor is the founder of Know Yourself Nutrition, an online nutrition coaching business working primarily with GAA players both at club and inter-county level.
David & Conor discuss common issues they see with GAA players, tips on behaviour change and reflect on some of the challenges with growing a coaching business.
Full show notes: www.synapseperformance.ie/podcasts/episode102
In episode 101, David is joined by performance nutritionist Mark Germaine.
Mark Germaine is a Performance Nutritionist (SENr) currently working with the Dublin Senior Hurling team, Dublin U20's football team, Dublin U20's hurlers and a number of elite professional boxers, in addition to his role as a researcher in the School of Health and Human Performance in Dublin City University.
He completed his Masters degree in Sport Nutrition from Liverpool John Moores University, where he also picked up the Don MacLaren Award for the research he conducted during his time there.
Finally, Mark is the co-chair for the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) Combat Sport Special Interest Group, who put out content as it relates to combat sport and weight cutting, and also host an annual meeting at the annual ACSM event in the USA.
As such, Mark's interest lie in Performance Nutrition and developing nutritional strategies to augment athletic performance, improve athletic recovery, enhancing the adaptive response to training stimuli and weight cutting sports.
In episode of the podcast, David is joined by Alan Flanagan, John Kiely & Ciaran O'Regan.
The groups discusses the topic of meta-cognition; thinking about how we think.
Topics include; what is science? what is knowledge? what does it mean to be evidence-based? how do we improve our critical thinking ability?
In episode 99, David answers a listener question on the topic of: Does Psychological & Emotional Stress Impact Adaptation to Exercise?
You can contact the show and submit questions by emailing: david@synapseperformance.ie
Full show notes available at: www.synapseperformance.ie/podcasts/episode99
In this episode, David is joined by Luke Jenkinson.
Luke is the current Head of Academy Sports Science & Medicine at Derby County FC, while also undertaking a professional doctorate at Liverpool John Moore's University.
In this episode, David & Luke discuss the pros and cons of early specialisation, and the potential role of isometrics in applied S&C.
For full show-notes: www.synapseperformance.ie/podcasts/episode98
In episode 97, David is joined by Sami Dowling & Shane Cahill of APEC courses.
Sami Dowling is the Director of Athletic Performance & Sports Science at Athletic Performance Education Company. Sami brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the APEC education team. Working at the elite level of both rugby union and GAA, Sami has become a household name within the areas of speed development and the sport of Weightlifting.
Sami was a Strength & Conditioning coach with Leinster Rugby Academy for 10 years, one of Europe’s top professional rugby Academy’s.
Sami worked at the highest level in GAA, serving as Head Strength & Conditioning coach with the Dublin Senior Football team, winning an All-Ireland in 2011.
Sami served as Performance Director for Weightlifting Ireland, having coached at the World Junior, European Junior, and European Senior.
Sami is currently the Strength & Conditioning Coordinator at Hockey Ireland for the u16-u18 girls’ and boys’ national teams.
Sami has recently completed his MSC in Strength & Condition at the Institute of Technology Carlow. His role as Director of Athletic Performance & Sports Science at Athletic Performance Education Company is primarily focused on the development and growth of all strength & conditioning programs and service contracts run through the company.
Shane Cahill is the director of education and operations at APEC. An ex-professional athlete, Shane spent the majority of his professional rugby playing career in the UK playing in the RFU Aviva Premiership and Championship.
He has worked at the elite level of professional sports in the UK with teams such as Rotherham Titans in the RFU Championship where he served as head of strength and conditioning for two seasons before making his way back to Ireland to take up the role as of the head of strength and conditioning with Blackrock College RFC.
He is currently studying his MSc in Strength and Conditioning at the Institute of Technology Carlow. Shane has gathered a wealth of knowledge and experience as both a professional athlete and as a strength & conditioning coach. His role as Director of Education and Operations at Athletic Performance Education Company is primarily focused on the development and growth of all education programs run through the institute.
In this episode, David, Shane & Sami discuss the realities of working in professional sport and being successful in the S&C industry.
Full show notes available at: www.synapseperformance.ie/podcasts/episode97
In episode 96, David is joined by Dr. Harry Dorrell.
Harry is a lecturer and researcher at the University of Lincoln, where his research focuses on the use of velocity based measures to dictate training loads in an attempt to optimize adaptation to resistance training.
David & Harry discuss why velocity-based "loading" may be a more suitable term that velocity-based "training," how to practically apply velocity-based measures in a team setting and the future research direction of velocity-based training.
Full show-notes available at: www.synapseperformance.ie/podcasts/episode96
In episode 95, David is joined by Dr. Oliver Barley.
Dr. Barley is a lecturer and research at Edith Cowan University.
Oliver's research interest are in the domain of exercise physiology, specifically combat sports.
The focus of Oliver's PhD studies was in the area of weight cutting strategies in combat athletes.
David & Oliver discuss heat acclimation and it's potential benefits for both performance and the weight cutting procedure.
In episode 94, David is joined by Broderick Chavez.
Broderick Chavez is the Evil Genius. He’s a renowned trainer based in the US and has trained champions, Olympians and IFBB Pros as well as hundreds of other athletes. He is a sports performance expert, biologist, chemist, coffee connoisseur and an insomniac.
Not only has Broderick worked in Sports Performance field 30 years, he’s competed at a national level in bodybuilding, powerlifting and strongman.
He’s a critical thinker, lifter, speaker and thought provoker.
Broderick is uncensored and controversial. Rather than trying to prove to you or anyone else that he is the singular outlet for truth, he hopes to stimulate thought, experiment and dialogue that will bring us all closer to the truth.
This is a guy to listen to if you coach athletes or you’re an athlete yourself, wanting to get to the top of their game.
In this Episode, David & Broderick discuss why understanding the tenants of biology is crucial to effective programming & decision making.
The pair also discuss the value of regularly getting blood work done to optimise both health & performance.
In episode 93, David joined by applied sports psychologist Hugh Gilmore.
Hugh holds an undergraduate degree in sports and exercise sciences and a masters in applied sports and exercise psychology.
Hugh is also an accredited sports psychologist with the Irish Institute of Sport & BASES.
David & Hugh discuss behaviour change, the benefits of motivational interviewing & applied sports psychology strategies.
Full show notes available at www.synapseperformance.ie/podcasts/episode93
In this episode of the podcast, Arthur Lynch moderates a debate between Synapse Performance's own David Nolan & Andrew Patton of Stronger By Science.
The pair debate whether there is any utility to the functional movement screen or whether it is a pointless exercise.
This is a valuable conversation for any applied practitioners in the strength and conditioning field.
In this episode of the Synapse Performance Podcast, David discusses all the key elements of performing high quality performance testing. As well as the common mistakes he regularly sees in performance testing procedures across multiple sports.
In this solo episode, David gives advice for those wishing to begin or advance their career in strength and conditioning coaching.
David also discusses the importance of S&C in sports performance and what the key purposes of a solid S&C program are, and how to audit your own coaching practices.
In this episode, David is joined by teacher and coach, Shane Smith.
Shane coaches right across the spectrum from underage to elite senior level. Shane's passion lies in the coaching of children and creating an environment that fosters development and life long sport participation.
In this episode, David & Shane discuss how to effectively coach children, some of the pitfalls coaches fall into when working in youth sport and how we can all reflect on our own coaching practices.
For full show notes see: www.synapseperformance.ie/podcasts/episode89
In this episode, David is joined by Dan Garner.
Dan is a S&C coach, performance nutritionist, and educator.
Dan works with UFC fighters and other elite athletes through his online business.
In this episode, David and Dan discuss:
Laboratory Based NutritionPrioritizing Athlete Health & Effective Remote Coaching of Elite Athletes
Full show notes can be found at: www.synapseperformance.ie/podcasts/episode88
In this episode, David answers questions submitted by Listeners through social media.
These questions covered the topics of;
Steroids in GAA & Rugby, Advice for Young S&C Coaches, Recovery Methods for Team Sports, The Problem with Assumptions.
In this episode, David is joined by Dr. Alan Ruddock.
Alan is a physiologist at Sheffield Hallam University with a wealth of experience in sport science. He has has worked with a range of individual athletes and teams, including FIFA World Cup referee Howard Webb and Commonwealth games medalists England Table Tennis. Alan has worked extensively within Boxing at the highest level, having a huge influence on Kid Galahad’s British, Commonwealth and European Title wins and most recently Kell Brook’s IBF welterweight world title victory. Alan is a BASES accredited sport & exercise scientist, doctoral researcher and one of the UK’s first chartered scientists in sport science.
In this episode, David & Alan have an in-depth discussion around strength and conditioning for the sport of boxing.
In this solo episode, David answers questions submitted by listeners through social media.
In this episode, David is joined by Dr. Dan Cleather.
Dr. Cleather is the program director of the MSc. in strength and conditioning at St. Mary's University, Twickenham. He has formal training mathematics and is an experienced S&C coach and academic.
David & Dan discuss the concepts of force & mechanics as it relates to S&C.
Dan highlights misunderstandings of the force-vector theory and the force-velocity relationship.
For full show notes see: www.synapseperformance.ie/episode84
In this episode, David is joined by Helen Collins of Dundee University.
Helen is an experienced strength and conditioning coach, sports scientist and lecturer.
Helen is currently completing her PhD. at Dundee which focuses on resistance training interventions for children who are overweight or obese.
In this episode, David and Helen discuss the role resistance training may play in tackling obesity, challenges in coaching strength training in children and what a wide-scale role out of a resistance training program would look like.
Full show-notes available at: www.synapseperformance.ie/podcasts/episode83
In this episode David is once again joined by Dr. Cody Haun.
Cody is an assistant professor in exercise science at Le Grange College. Cody is also an experienced strength and conditioning coach and works with stronger by science and Aplyft.
In this episode, David & Cody discuss the theory of myofibrillar and sarcoplasmic muscle hypertrophy. Cody discusses the finding of his research and implication it may have for interpreting muscle hypertrophy research. Cody also talks about ideas of how different types of training may impact what type of muscle hypertrophy occurs and whether increased muscle hypertrophy influences increases is muscle strength?
Full shownotes can be found at www.synapseperformance.ie/podcasts/episode82
In this episode, David is joined by Dr. Franco Impellizzeri.
Franco is a Professor of Sport and Exercise Science and Medicine in the University of Technology in Sydney, Australia.
After a decade in medicine based research, Franco has returned to sports science full-time and is concerned with the standard of research and dogmas he has seen since returning to the field.
In this episode, Franco specifically argues using the acute:chronic workload ration to predict or prevent injury. Franco also discusses why the use of the worst case scenario or idea of tactical periodisation may not be efficacious.
In this episode, David is joined by Robbie Bourke.
Robbie is a highly experienced strength & conditioning coach, physical therapist, nutritionist, and educator with over 10 years within the profession.
He has worked and interned with some top organizations such as Mike Boyle Strength & Conditioning, Dublin GAA, Elite Fitness & Performance Academy, and Altis.
Robbie has an unrelenting passion for studying and applying everything to do with human performance and coaching.
In this episode, David & Robbie discuss the current climate of strength and conditioning, the value of interning, and the importance of continual professional development.
Full show-notes: www.synapseperformance.ie/podcasts/episode80
In this episode, David is joined by Dr. Gary Mendoza.
Gary’s background is in personal training. He graduated with a first class honours degree in Applied Human Nutrition from the University of Wales and then moved into training personal trainers and coaches and developed a successful nutrition and weight management course, including assessment of behavioural readiness.
This course formed the basis of his doctoral research which he was awarded a PhD for in 2006. His research included specialisation in the multi-dimensional treatment of overweight and obese males.
Gary’s other area of expertise is sports nutrition. He was previously programme leader for both sports nutrition and advanced sports nutrition at Massey University in New Zealand and trained with Sports Dietitians Australia (SDA).
He lectures in nutrition for sport and exercise at Bath Spa and Cardiff Metropolitan Universities and is an Academic Associate member of the SENr. Gary is also co-director of ‘The Nutrition Academy Ltd’ and delivers the applied nutrition and supplementation course (AfN certified) well as their behaviour change workshop, which has more recently been enhanced by the addition of motivational interviewing (MI).
As an academic practitioner with a wealth of experience, Gary is passionate about raising the standards of nutrition and behavioural change education in the health and fitness industry. He wants the industry to move to a more evidence-based style of behaviour change and nutrition education.
Full show-notes at: www.synapseperformance.ie/podcasts/episode79
In this episode, David is joined by Steve Thompson. Steve is a lecturer at Sheffield Hallam University, where he is pursuing a PhD.
Steve is currently an integral member of a working strength and conditioning group within Sheffield Hallam, providing support for a number of different athletes and teams. Steve has recently helped three GB Divers achieve Commonwealth Bronze medals and British championships as well as a Bronze in the Diving Grand Prix in Italy. Steve has coached the semi-professional rugby league team Sheffield Eagles and GB table tennis players.
Steve provided elite strength and conditioning to the Great British Olympic Women's Volleyball team in lead up to the 2012 Olympics. Steve was heavily involved in the planning, testing, monitoring and training of the athletes as well as providing S&C support to a Paralympic wheelchair fencer, providing a completely new and interesting set of challenges.
In this episode, David and Steve discuss in detail current best practices and future research directions of velocity based training.
In this episode, David is joined by Fergus Connolly, PhD.
Dr. Fergus Connolly is one of the world’s foremost human potential thought leaders and influencers.
Author of the bestselling book "Game Changer - The Art of Sports Science"
Fergus has applied performance science with leading sports, military, and business teams.
He is the only coach to have full times roles in every major sport, including soccer (Liverpool, Bolton Wanderers), professional and college football (San Francisco 49s and University of Michigan), rugby (Welsh national team) and elite military units.
David and Fergus discuss some insightful concepts and issues in the world of athletic development and sports science.
Full shownotes: www.synapseperformance.ie/podcasts/episode77
In this episode, David is once again joined by Dr. Eric Helms.
Eric is a coach, athlete, author, and educator. A trainer since the early 2000’s, he’s worked in the US Air force, commercial gyms, private training studios, medical fitness and strength and conditioning facilities. As a part of 3DMJ he coaches drug-free strength and physique competitors at all levels. Eric has competed since the mid 2000’s in natural bodybuilding, unequipped powerlifting and dabbled in Olympic lifting. He earned pro status as a natural bodybuilder with the PNBA in 2011 and competes with the IPF at international level events as an unequipped powerlifter.
Eric has published multiple peer-reviewed articles in exercise science and nutrition journals and writes for commercial fitness publications. He’s taught undergraduate and graduate level nutrition and exercise science and speaks internationally at academic and commercial conferences for fitness, nutrition and strength and conditioning. He has a BS in fitness and wellness, an MS in exercise science, a second masters in sports nutrition, a PhD in strength and conditioning, and is a research fellow for AUT at the Sports Performance Research Institute New Zealand.
In this episode, David & Eric discuss the lessons Eric has learned in the past 14 years, how his motivations have changed over this time, how in an alternate reality Eric would be a hip-hop superstar, or an FBI agent and then round off with a discussion around the topic of auditing our thinking as evidence-based practitioners.
In this episode, David is joined by Lee Bell.
Lee is an MSc qualified consultant lecturer, speaker and content writer, published in some of the most respected online platforms in the world. He’s currently pursuing a PhD looking at the link between overreaching/overtraining and strength sports.
He is a published academic and professional writer and has delivered talks at a number of conferences including the COPA Growth medical conference in London. Lee is also involved in primary sport science research with other sport scientists across a number of institutions.
Lee has lectured to hundreds of sport science students, personal trainers and coaches in his career so far.
He has been master trainer at two global equipment suppliers and involved on a number of steering groups aimed at improving the way that fitness education is delivered in the UK.
David & Lee discuss the research of overtraining and how to monitor & prevent overtraining in our athletes. Lee also gives us an insight into the realities of being a professional fitness writer.
Show notes at: www.synapseperformance.ie/episode75
In this episode, David is joined by Alex Kolliari-Turner.
Alex holds an undergraduate degree in biological science from the University of Oxford, and is currently undertaking PhD. research at the University of Brighton. Alex's research focuses on implications of RNA-sequence in the detection of anabolic steroid use and the harnessing of the molecular mechanisms of muscle memory.
David & Alex have a balanced discussion about anabolic steroid use, its pros & cons and the future of doping testing in sport.
Full show notes: www.synapseperformance.ie/podcasts/episode74
In this episode, David is joined by Dr. Paul Rimmer.
Throughout the course of his academic studies, Paul has covered many areas related to sport science, including nutritional biochemistry, physiology, psychology, elements of physiotherapy and nutrition and exercise programming. His area of academic expertise is in biomechanics – in particular functional and clinical measures of strength and performance, which is what his PhD. was involved in. Paul has also developed and delivered courses and seminars covering many aspects of health and fitness. He has developed a deep understanding of nutrition and human metabolism, which is the research area he is now considered to be most knowledgeable in.
Paul has also developed and delivered courses and seminars covering many aspects of health and fitness. He has developed a deep understanding of nutrition and human metabolism, which is the research area he is now considered to be most knowledgeable in. In his current professional
In his current professional capacity, Paul provides science-based health and fitness content and education for various businesses and individuals within the fitness industry. He is passionate about the need to educate people on evidence-based nutritional practices, working as a consultant to many trainers and coaches around the world to help them develop their knowledge and provide better service to their clients.
Paul & David discuss:
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How to perform an effective needs analysis
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The differences in coaching individuals versus coaching teams
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Nutritional monitoring strategies
Full show notes available at: www.synapseperformance.ie/podcasts/episode73
In this episode, David is joined by Jacob Schepis.
Jacob Schepis is the owner & director of JPS Health & Fitness, where he has helped thousands of individuals improve their strength, body composition and well being through evidence-based resistance training and nutrition.
Taking a scientific based approach to training and diet has enabled Jacob to excel in a variety of sports, including playing VFL, bodybuilding, where he has won multiple state and international titles, along with competing in the International Powerlifting Federation, where he has competed at a national level and achieved a top 8 Ranking in Australia.
Having worked in the industry for over 8 years, Jacob’s wealth of knowledge coupled with his experience in the trenches has led him to become one of Melbourne’s most sought out trainers. His role has extended fate beyond working with his beloved clients, to now mentoring aspiring personal trainers, holding workshops and seminars, and writing for the nations personal training governing body, Physical Activity Australia.
For full show notes see: www.synapseperformance.ie/podcasts/episode72
In this episode, David is joined by Dr. Cody Haun.
Dr. Cody Haun graduated Cum Laude in sport and exercise science from the University of East Tennessee, where he also went on to receive a masters degree in human physiology and performance.
Dr. Haun then progressed to a PhD program in Auburn University and has recently defended his thesis:
*Skeletal Muscle Growth Responses to Voluminous Resistance Training in Young Men with or without Graded Dosage of Protein Supplementation.*
In this episode, David is joined by Dr. Austin Baraki.
Dr. Baraki is a medical doctor of internal medicine at UT health centre in San Antoni, Texas.
Austin is also a powerlifting coach and educator at Barbell Medicine along with Dr. Jordan Feigenbaum.
In this episode, David & Austin discuss:
- Resistance Training for Chronic Disease
- Considerations for Specialist Populations
- The Biopsychosocial model and how it applies to pain and training fatigue.
Full show notes can be found at: www.synapseperformance.ie/podcasts/episode70
In this episode, David is joined by Dr. Israel Halperin.
Israel has just completed post-doctoral research at Memorial University of Newfoundland.
Israel completed his PhD at Edith-Cowan University, Australia in conjunction with the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS). His research focusing on the effect of coaching feedback on performance of resistance trainees and combat sport athletes.
Israel worked with the four Olympic Combat sports in the AIS Combat Centre.
Israel is also a former international competitor in Muay Thai, and now coaches elite level kickboxers.
In this episode, we discuss metascience in the sports and exercise sciences. Essentially we discuss some limitations and considerations which we need to be aware of when both conducting and interpreting research.
In this episode, David is joined once again by Andy Morgan, owner of the hugely successful rippedbody.com.
Andy is a full-time online coach, based from Tokyo, Japan.
Andy & David discuss coaching philosophies, imposter syndrome, the importance of a strong network, and the value of continued self-development.
For full show notes see: www.synapseperformance.ie/podcasts/episode68
In this episode, David is joined by Patrick Umphrey.
Patrick is a full-time online coach and the man behind the monster Facebook community that is "Eat, Train, Progress."
Patrick has built a very successful business and works with a variety of people ranging from fat loss to novice/intermediate powerlifters.
In this episode, David & Patrick Discuss the importance of empathy in coaching, how to gauge progress and set realistic goals and how Patrick has built a community of 16,000 people where no-one is a "dick."
Full show notes at www.synapseperformance.ie/podcasts/episode67
In this episode, David is joined by Dr. Catherine Norton.
Catherine is a performance nutritionist and registered dietitian and currently works full-time at the University of Limerick, Human Research Institute. She teaches on the BSc & MSc courses there, as well as researching in both, food for health, and performance nutrition.
Catherine is a graduate of DIT / TCD (Human Nutrition & Dietetics) and UL (PhD Nutrition), and an accredited Sport & Exercise Nutritionist (SENr High Performance).
Catherine spent three seasons as full-time lead performance nutritionist to Munster Rugby and has also consulted with a wide range of sports disciplines at national, international and Olympic levels. She previously held the Lead Performance Nutritionist role with the swimmers at the High-Performance Centre in UL and with Rowing Ireland. Dr. Norton has also provided nutrition support to both junior and senior athletes with Athletics Ireland, Triathlon Ireland, Inter-County GAA and AIL rugby clubs.
Dr Norton's research interests investigate optimising nutrition for athletic training and competition, with a particular emphasis on peri-training nutrition (PTN). She is also involved in research considering appropriate protein intakes (quantity, quality and timing) for the prevention of age related losses in both muscle (sarcopaenia) and bone (osteopaenia).
Full show-notes: www.synapseperformance.ie/podcasts/episode66
In this episode, David is joined by Jim Elli.
Jim is a coach with Reactive Training Systems which works with powerlifters from a variety of abilities, including world champions.
Jim also teaches the practical nutrition course for RTS and manages social media for the company.
In this episode David & Jim discuss:
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The role of carbohydrates for the powerlifter
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Rates of fat loss for powerlifters
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Acute weight cutting for competition
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Supplementation for powerlifters
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Pragmatism in coaching
Show notes can be found at: www.synapseperformance.ie/podcasts/episode65
If you enjoy this episode please consider sharing it on your social media and leaving us a rating & review on iTunes.
In this episode, David is joined by Pascal Flor. Pascal is a full-time coach with the online coaching service Revive Stronger with fellow coaches Steve Hall & Migeul Blacutt.
Pascal is former competitive powerlifter but now solely focuses on natural bodybuilding.
Pascal works with a range of powerlifters & physique athletes and in this episode he shares his insights into the world of female physique sports.
Show notes: www.synapseperformance.ie/podcasts/episode64
Make sure to leave a rating & review on iTunes.
In this episode, David is joined by Alan Flanagan.
Alan is currently completing his MSc. in nutritional medicine at the University of Surrey, where his dissertation is examining the eating patterns of NHS nurses. Alan’s research interests lie primarily in the areas of circadian rhythms and their influence on health and performance. Alan is a regular contributing author to biolayne.com and strives to increase awareness and application of the role of nutrition in conjunction with modern medical science.
In this episode, David is joined by three leading experts in the area of physical therapy and injury.
Dr. Quinn Henoch has a Doctorate of Physical Therapy from the University of Indianapolis and is head of sports rehabilitation for JuggernautHQ in Orange County, CA. He is also the founder of ClinicalAthlete, which is a network of health care professionals who understand the performance-based needs of athletes.
Dr. Greg Lehman is physiotherapist, chiropractor and strength and conditioning specialist treating musculoskeletal disorders within a biopsychosocial model.
Greg was a recipient of a highly competitive MSc graduate scholarship that permitted him to be one of only two students to train with Professor Stuart McGill in his Occupational Biomechanics Laboratory, and subsequently published more than 20 peer-reviewed papers in the manual therapy and exercise biomechanics field.
Dr. Paul McCarroll qualified as a physiotherapist from the University of Ulster, before pursuing graduate entry medicine from the University of Limerick. While Paul pursued his medical qualifications in Limerick, he worked with high-level athletes across numerous sports including rugby, cricket & athletics.
Now a fully qualified medical doctor, Paul has gone one step further and is currently a core surgical trainee and aspires to become an orthopedic surgeon.
Topics covered in this discussion include:
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Spinal Flexion
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The Role of Manual Therapy
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Mechanisms of Injury
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Injury Rehabilitation Frameworks
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The Role of Patient Belief in Rehabilitation
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Pain Science
Website: www.synapseperformance.ie
In this episode, David conducts a solo podcast to discuss some considerations around speed & agility development for the GAA athlete.
The purpose of this episode is not to dive deep into the research but rather to get you asking questions about your own training or the training you do with your players. After this episode, we would hope that you come away with a different perspective on speed & agility training and pick up some concepts that you can apply instantly to start seeing progress.
See show notes: www.synapseperformance.ie/podcasts/episode61
In this episode, David is joined by Ciaran O'Regan.
Ciaran O’Regan has a First Class Honours BSc. in Sports & Exercise Sciences from the University of Limerick.
Ciaran currently works as a full-time strength & conditioning coach and sports scientist, and has worked in professional rugby, elite GAA & with dozens of combat sports athletes.
Ciaran is also a published researcher and is a regular contributor to online platforms such as Sigma Nutrition.
All show notes can be found at www.synapseperformance.ie/podcasts/episode60
Ciaran O’Regan has a First Class Honours BSc. in Sports & Exercise Sciences from the University of Limerick.
Ciaran currently works as a full-time strength & conditioning coach and sports scientist, and has worked in professional rugby, elite GAA & with dozens of combat sports athletes.
Ciaran is also a published researcher and is a regular contributor to online platforms such as Sigma Nutrition.
All show notes can be found at www.synapseperformance.ie/podcasts/episode59
In this episode, Dominic Munnelly is back on the podcast to discuss some of the concepts put forth in his latest book co-authored with his wife;
"Move, Train, Nourish: The Sustainable Way to a Healthier You"
Dominic Munnelly is one of Ireland’s leading personal trainers having worked in the business for over 20 years. He has supported many clients on their health and fitness journey advising them on training, nutrition, mobility and wellness and in the process helped people lose weight, get fit and lead a happier and healthier life. His background is Sports Science and as well as training clients, he co-owns a gym in Kildare with his brother. He is considered a leading authority on fitness and has appeared on television and spoken on radio many times.
Show notes can be found at: www.synapseperformance.ie/podcasts/episode58
In this episode, David is joined by John Kiely.
John is a Senior lecturer in Elite Performance at the Institute of Coaching and Performance, within the University of Central Lancashire (although the role doesn’t require any lecturing). Instead he works on a one-to-one basis tutoring professional doctoral candidates —primarily experienced mid-career professionals from a wide variety of backgrounds (sporting, rehabilitation, academic, military services and so on) focused on driving innovation within their specific domain of expertise.
As an event coach, he has worked with many combat athletes and coached a Paralympic medallist, World indoor champion and European record holder in track & field. He was the Head of Strength & Conditioning for UK Athletics for a number of years, and subsequently their Athletic conditioning manager; in these roles he was intimately involved in the performance preparation of a large number of Olympic, World, and European medallists.
In 2013, he worked extensively with squash player Laura Massaro as she won both World and British Open titles. From 2014 to 2016 he was contracted to work with the Irish rugby squad prior to and during competitive championships, including the 2014 and 2015 6 Nations winning campaigns and the 2015 Rugby World cup.
All show notes can be found on the website: www.synapseperformance.ie/podcasts
In this episode we go back over some of the best bits from previous interviews with the common theme of recovery, mobility and what the research actually says about foam rolling & myofascial release.
The highlights feature snippets from Dr. James Hoffman, Dr. Quinn Henoch & Dr. Greg Lehman.
Make sure to listen to the full episode of each of these interviews if you haven't already. Links to the relevant episodes can be found below.
Full show-notes can be found at: www.hpascience.com/episode56
In this episode, David answers some of the common questions submitted by you, the listeners!
Conor asks:
"Is the term metabolism used wrongly by people? What role do slow or fast metabolisms play?"
Karen asks:
"What strategies can be used to increase recovery during intense training cycles?"
Chris asks:
"What should nutrition look like on the day of a meet?"
Eoin asks:
"Is talent genetic? Are certain people at a higher chance of being better at certain sports than others with less favorable genetics?"
Make sure to check out the links in the show-notes at www.hpascience.com/episode55 and get in touch if you have any questions you would like answered in future episodes.
In this episode, David is joined by Bryce Lewis. Byrce is an elite level powerlifter, having won silver in the IPF world championships in 2017 in the -105kg class.
Bryce is also an experienced coach and founder of The Strength Athlete, a premium coaching and education service.
Bryce displays a perfect blend of research knowledge and practical experience.
David & Bryce discuss:
Q1. What type of cues should we use in coaching?
Q2. How important is communication as a coach?
Q3. What methods of goal setting & visualization can be beneficial to performance?
And much more...
For full show-notes: www.hpascience.com/episode54
In this episode, David is joined by the founder of Reactive Training Systems, Mike Tuchscherer. Mike is an elite level powerlifter having achieved gold medal wins in both the world games and IPF world championships, 8 USA national championships and setting multiple IPF world records.
Reactive Training Systems offer elite level powerlifting coaching and education for coaching. Mike’s meticulous approach to coaching has led many of his athletes to outstanding success on the world stage.
Reactive Training Systems are a progressive company and continually innovating through in-house research projects.
For full show-notes see: www.hpascience.com/episode53
In this episode, David answers some of the common questions submitted by you, the listeners!
David discusses;
Topic 1: Weight training belts
What is the effect of belts on performance?
Are they of benefit to a bodybuilder?
Do they alter muscle activation?
What are the common mistakes people make with belts?
Topic 2: Knee sleeves
What is the current level of evidence?
What may be the mechanism by which they benefit performance?
Topic 3: Body weight fluctuations
Why is weight loss, fat loss , and weight cutting very different?
What causes bodyweight fluctuations?
How can we manipulate these factors to benefit in a weight cut?
What common refueling mistakes do people make following weigh-ins?
Full show notes at: www.hpascience.com/episode52
In this episode, David is joined by Dr. Mark Tarnopolsky. Dr. Tarnopolsky is a professor in McMaster University and leads a research team with the primary focus on neuromuscular and neurometabolic diseases and rehabilitation. The overall goal of their research program is to discover and evaluate therapies that will enhance muscle function in people with acquired and genetic neuromuscular diseases and mitochondrial dysfunction. They have a particular interest in the potential for exercise, pharmacological and nutraceutical interventions to enhance muscle function and improve muscle mass. Their program spans the research disciplines from cell culture all the way to small-scale clinical trials.
In this episode David & Dr. Tarnopolsky discuss;
What are microvesicles & exosomes?
What are the potential applications of exosomes in:
Clinical settings and disease?
Exercise physiology
By what mechanisms do we believe exosomes are exerting their effect?
What is the potential future research into the area of exosomes going to look like?
For full show notes see: www.hpascience.com/episode51
In this episode, David is joined by Dr. Jordan Feigenbaum. Jordan is an experienced strength coach who is currently finishing up his medical degree. In addition to a laundry list of credentials, Jordan is also an elite powerlifter who has held one of the top 20 totals of all-time.
Dr. Feigenbaum’s professional qualifications include:
- Eastern Virginia Medical School - Doctor of Medicine (2016)
- Saint Louis University School of Medicine - Masters of Anatomy and Physiology (2012)
- Truman State University - Bachelor of Science in Biology (2008)
- Starting Strength - Starting Strength Coach and Seminar Staff Member (2012-Present)
- National Strength and Conditioning Association - Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (2008 - Present)
- United States of America Weightlifting- Club Coach (2009-Present)
- American College of Sports Medicine - Health and Fitness Specialist (2008-Present)
- CrossFit - Level 1 Instructor (2009-Present)
David & Jordan discuss:
What rate of injuries occur in competitive powerlifting?
Is powerlifting damaging to the heart?
How does powerlifting compare to other sports in terms of risk?
What impact does weight training have on bone health?
What impact does weight training have on longevity?
How should we alter training for an elderly population? How hard should we push elderly clients?
How to maximise efficiency?
And a lot of interesting tangents…
Full show notes available at: www.hpascience.com/episode50
In this episode, David is joined by Danny Lennon of Sigma Nutrition. Danny has a formal scientific background in academia, completing a master’s degree (MSc.) in Nutritional Sciences at University College Cork. During this time Danny researched vitamin D, directly under the world-renowned researcher Professor Kevin Cashman.
In addition to that research, Danny took classes in biochemistry, clinical nutrition, micronutrient interactions and physiology. Previous to this Danny also completed a BSc. Degree in biology and physics education and spent a year teaching these subjects.
As well as producing media content, Danny also works as a performance nutritionist to professional MMA fighters, professional boxers and competitive powerlifters. He has consulted several teams in a number of sports. He also has an online coaching service that helps a wide array of clients with nutrition related issues.
In this episode, David & Danny discuss:
Are artificial sweeteners a cause of weight gain?
Are artificial sweeteners bad for our health or gut microbiota?
Is gluten something that should be excluded from our diets?
In this episode, David is joined by Danny Lennon of Sigma Nutrition. Danny has a formal scientific background in academia, completing a master’s degree (MSc.) in Nutritional Sciences at University College Cork. During this time Danny researched vitamin D, directly under the world-renowned researcher Professor Kevin Cashman.
In addition to that research, Danny took classes in biochemistry, clinical nutrition, micronutrient interactions and physiology. Previous to this Danny also completed a BSc. Degree in biology and physics education and spent a year teaching these subjects.
As well as producing media content, Danny also works as a performance nutritionist to professional MMA fighters, professional boxers and competitive powerlifters. He has consulted several teams in a number of sports. He also has an online coaching service that helps a wide array of clients with nutrition related issues.
In this episode, David & Danny discuss:
How to know when body-fat levels are too high that a diet is required?
How to diet while minimizing performance decrement?
How to implement an aggressive diet?
How to decide whether a weight-cut is appropriate?
How to implement a weight-cut for same day weigh-ins?
For full show notes see: www.hpascience.com/episode48
In this episode, David answers a listeners question regarding research.
David covers;
Topic 1: Research in the obese and elderly
Why does so much research focus on elderly and obese populations rather than trained and elite athletes?
Topic 2: Trained versus untrained populations in research
Why are the majority of studies conducted in untrained populations rather than elite athletes?
For full show notes see: www.hpascience.com/episode47
Topic 1: Expectations vs. reality of owning a gym or online fitness business
Q1. Do the expectations of owning a business match the reality?
Q2. What unexpected issues arise in the setting up of such a business?
Q3. What is the best way to resolve conflict with employees, who are also friends?
Q4. How important is it surround yourself with people you trust & can delegate to?
Topic 2: Building a positive training environment
Q5. How do we build a positive training environment?
Q6. What unexpected roles do coaches often play?
For full show notes: www.hpascience.com/episode46
Episode 45 - Jordan Syatt – Dogmatic Fitness Trends, Nutritional Tracking, Increasing Your Social Media Following & Networking in Your Industry
In this episode, David is joined by Jordan Syatt. Jordan has been a world record level powerlifter and is currently a coach based out of New York city. Jordan has gained huge exposure as personal trainer to Gary Vaynerchuck and has engineered his social media to accumulate a large and influential following.
David & Jordan discuss:
Topic 1: Dogmatic fitness trends
Q2. What are the emerging fitness trends that could be damaging or dangerous for the industry or for people?
Q3. Is calorie and macro tracking essential for anyone trying to lose weight / gain muscle?
Q4. What are some tips for making tracking easier?
Topic 2: Individualised approach to training clients & assessing bias.
Q5. What screening/assessment systems does Jordan use for clients?
Q6. What questions must we keep in mind when programming for someone?
Topic 3: Social Media - Instagram & Networking
Q8. How important has social media been to the growth of Jordan’s business?
Q9. What are the common mistakes made by fitness professionals who are trying to grow their Instagram accounts?
Q.10 What tips / advice should be people know when trying to build their Instagram accounts?
Q11. What is the best way to network / collaborate with people in your industry?
For full show notes see:
www.hpascience.com/episode45
In this episode, David is joined by Dr. Stephen Patterson.
Stephen joined St Marys University, Twickenham in 2009 and is a Senior Lecturer in Exercise Physiology. He graduated with a BSc in Sport and Exercise Science from Napier University, Edinburgh (2005) before completing an MSc in Medicine and Science in Sport and Exercise from Strathclyde University in Glasgow (2006). He then moved to Loughborough University where he completed his PhD specialising on the responses and adaptations to exercise with blood flow restriction.
Stephens’s research fits into two main themes of Health and Sports Performance with significant overlap between the two. His main research focuses on the following:
- Blood flow restriction training for rehabilitation and performance
- Ischemic Preconditioning
- Physiology of team sport
In this episode David & Stephen discuss:
Topic 1: Blood Flow Restriction Training
Q1. What is the theory behind blood flow restriction training?
Q2. Is there a standardised / optimal "tightness" we should use/aim for when using occlusion training?
Q3. What are the underlying mechanisms that seem to explain the adaptations attributed to blood flow restriction training?
Q 4. What are the practical applications of BFR, who, how, and when should we potentially use BFR?
Topic 2: Ischemic Preconditioning
Q5. What is Ischemic Preconditioning?
Q6. What are the proposed benefits and underlying mechanisms?
Q7. How are the potential practical applications?
Full Shownotes at: www.hpascience.com/episode44
In this episode, David is Joined by Dr. Greg Lehman.
Greg is a physiotherapist, chiropractor and strength and conditioning specialist treating musculoskeletal disorders within a biopsychosocial model.
Prior to his clinical career, Greg was fortunate enough to receive a Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council MSc graduate scholarship that permitted him to be one of only two yearly students to train with Professor Stuart McGill in his Occupational Biomechanics Laboratory subsequently publishing more than 20 peer reviewed papers in the manual therapy and exercise biomechanics field. Greg was an assistant professor at the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College teaching a graduate level course in Spine Biomechanics and Instrumentation as well conducting more than 20 research experiments while supervising more than 50 students. Greg has lectured on a number of topics on reconciling treatment biomechanics with pain science, running injuries, golf biomechanics, occupational low back injuries and therapeutic neuroscience.
In this episode, David and Greg discuss:
Q1. What is pain? What is the difference between pain & nocioception?. How do we process it? Why is it multi-dimensional? What factors influence our perception of pain?
Q2. What are the common misconceptions around pain and its sources? Why is pain poorly related to damage?
Q3. How do we go about determining the source of our pain and implementing a recovery strategy?
Q4. How much of an impact does our posture have on pain?
Q5. What does the research say about myofascial release and performance?
For full show notes and links see:
www.hpascience.com/episode43
In this episode, David is joined by Dr. Bobby Cheema.
Dr. Bobby Cheema is an Accredited Exercise Physiologist, Senior Lecturer and Researcher at Western Sydney University, and an Associate Researcher at the National Institute of Complementary Medicine. He has 25 years of experience in exercise physiology and prescription, and is internationally recognized for the quality of his work. Bobby is also a former elite level ice-hockey player in his native Canada.
Dr. Cheema’s academic background consists of:
- PhD (Exercise Physiology), University of Sydney, Australia, 2006
- Accredited Exercise Physiologist (AEP), 2009-present
- MSc (Exercise Physiology), University of Victoria, Canada, 2002
- Bachelor of Human Kinetics (Exercise Science), UBC, Canada, 1999
David & Bobby discuss:
Topic 1: NCD's
Q1. What is a non-communicable disease?
Q2. What is the current state of public health? What is the current level of Non-communicable diseases?
Topic 2: Exercise / Exercise Physiologists
Q3. Is the role exercise underestimated in the treatment and prevention of disease? Why?
Q4. What role can the exercise physiologist play in disease prevention & management?
Q5. Is there a need for a global shift in our attitude towards healthcare?
Topic 3: Disease-Specific Focus, Exercise and Cancer
Q6. What does the current body of evidence say about exercise in cancer patients?
Q7. Is there a hesitancy about allowing cancer patients to engage in exercise?
Q8. What modalities of exercise appear to be most beneficial?
Topic 4: The Importance of Muscle Mass
Q9. How important is the maintenance of muscle mass in disease treatment and prevention?
For full show notes see: www.hpascience.com/episode42
In this episode, David is joined by Kris Saunders Stowe, the founder of Wheely Good Fitness. The podcast is recorded live at the Fit4All national expo (organized by Cara) in Dublin, Ireland.
Wheely good fitness provides group exercise classes to those with disabilities, in particular wheelchair users.
Kris, who is a wheelchair user himself, set about trying to improve the choices for wheelchair users whilst also changing the attitude towards disability and fitness.
For many wheelchair users there are medical issues affecting their lives and creating challenges every day whilst also having to cope with the side effects of medications along with the emotional strain an individuals circumstances can bring. However, overall fitness plays a big part in how we feel, cope with and enjoy life whilst also enabling independence and social interaction. A study in 2010/11 showed that 63% of wheelchair users are not taking sufficient physical activity, increasing their risk of developing certain chronic diseases by nearly 60%.
In this episode, David & Kris Discuss:
Q1. As a coach how do we adapt and approach exercise classes for wheelchair users of ranging abilities and function? What is unique about this style of exercise class?
Q2. Does a stereotype still exist in the general public and fitness industry around wheelchair users and what is "appropriate" for them? Are fitness centres skeptical/hesitant about hosting these classes?
Q3. Can wheelchair users often underestimate or are conditioned to believe they are not capable of engaging in exercise? How have these classes impacted on the lives of clients and their confidence?
Q3. What advice should be given to (i) wheelchair users who want to get involved in exercise and don't think they are able to? (ii) fitness professionals who may want to get involved in running exercise for wheelchair users?
Full shownotes at: www.hpascience.com
In this episode, David is joined by Michael Goulden of Integra Training.
Michael specialises in biomechanics (in particular exercise mechanics) and neuroscience, Michael builds programs that is specific to the clients body, anatomy, training experience and desired outcome.
His master’s degree is in Biomechanics (MSc) and is a Mastery Level Resistance Training Specialist (RTSm).
David & Michael discuss:
Topic 1: Anatomy
Q1. How important is it for coaches / personal trainers to understand anatomy?
Q2. What level of anatomical variation is common between clients & what impact does this have on exercise selection and execution?
Topic 2: Biomechanics & Exercise execution
Q3. How does understanding biomechanics benefit a personal trainer?
Q4. What is the resistance profile & strength profile of an exercise?
Q5 How does one practically apply the knowledge of these profiles to exercise execution? How do we stimulate muscles through their full ROM? How do we customise machine set-up to an individual?
Q6. Why is feeling the muscle not always a good indicator of musle activation?
Q7. Are the compound lifts enough to improve performance? What role do isolation exercises play in athlete development?
Topic 3: Muscular Priming & Rehabilitation
Q8. How can isometrics be used to "prime" the neuromuscular system for strength training?
Q9. What is the best way to treat muscle tightness?
Q10. As a practitioner, how does one deal with clients who want to "rush" or accelerate rehab quicker than possible
Full show notes: www.hpascience.com/episode40
In this episode, David is joined by the founder of Bayesian Bodybuilding, Menno Henselmans.
Menno was once a high-level business consultant who specialized in advanced statistical data analysis. Menno then traded in his business life to chase his passion of coaching.
In this episode David and Menno discuss;
Topic 1: Metabolic damage and reverse dieting Q1. What are the thoughts behind the concept of metabolic damage? Q2. What does the current body of evidence say about the concept of metabolic damage? Q3. Does the concept of reverse dieting have any merit? Why? Topic 2: The role of genetics Q5. What impact do genetics have on the rate of progression in muscle and strength gains? Q6. How do we know / predict our genetic potential? Q7. Do genetics play a role in our ability to lose fat / fat distribution? Topic 3: Business development Q8. How important is following your passion to your success? Q9. What should people consider before beginning an online fitness business? For full show notes see: www.hpascience.com/episode39
This week David brings you a solo podcast addressing some of the common myths still believed by the general population.
The aim of this podcast is to act as a review session for fitness professionals and an easily understood discussion around some common concerns we see the general population have.
David addresses:
High Protein Diets:
Are they detrimental to our health?
Are they damaging to the kidneys & liver?
Where do the myths come from?
What is the link between high protein diets & cancer?
Creatine:
Is it a safe supplement?
Is it a steroid-like compound?
Where do the myths around creatine come from?
Carbohydrates and Fat Loss?
What does the evidence say about carbohydrate elimination and fat loss?
Is there a metabolic advantage to low-carb high-fat diet?
All show notes and links available at: www.hpascience.com/episode38
In this episode, David is joined by Irish life-coach Sarah Doyle, creator of the Better Life Project.
Sarah and her husband James are well known in the Irish health and fitness industry and spread positivity through evidence-based practice and the advocating of exercise.
In this episode David & Sarah discuss:
Topic 1. Body confidence and body image
Q1. What is the current situation in terms of confidence and body image? Is it a major problem in society presently? Is it something that just affects adolescents as stereotypically thought?
Q2. What are the main reasons for people lacking confidence or having a poor opinion of themselves?
Q3. What role does social media play in the current level of poor confidence and body image?
Topic 2. Public speaking & dealing with negativity.
Q4. What is the best way to become confident in public speaking?
Q5. How do we overcome a negative mindset? How do we develop a more positive outlook?
For full show-notes: www.hpascience.com/episode37
This week David is joined by Dominic Munnelly, a Dublin-based personal trainer who has successfully been working in the industry for over 20 years. Dominic has a degree in sports and exercise sciences and is co-owner of one of Irelands largest training facilities.
In this episode David & Dominic discuss:
Topic 1: Crossfit
Q2. What common misconceptions of CrossFit people have?
Q3. As a coach how do you decide when someone is capable of progressing to Olympic lifts?
Q4. As a coach how to you deal with people who want to progress quicker than they are able to and neglect the basics?
Q5. What are most common negative aspects of CrossFit we see?
Q6. What advice would you give to someone who is considering opening their own facility?
Topic 2: Sports science and continued education
Q9. How valuable has a degree in sports science been?
Q10.How valuable continued and on-going learning?
Topic 3: Negative relationships with food
Q11. What are the most common mistakes people make in terms of their nutrition?
Q12. Is the food prep culture something we should encourage?
Full show - notes: www.hpascience.com/episode36
This week David is joined by Steve Hall, founder and owner of Revive Stronger, a UK based online personal training business. Revive Stronger is one of the leading and fastest growing personal training companies in the UK. Steve is also the host of the successful "Macros, Bodybuilding & Powerlifting Podcast."
David and Steve discussed:
Topic 1: Online coaching as a business idea.
Q1. What attracted Steve yto working solely as an online coach rather than a traditional gym based PT.
Q3. What level of people respond best to online training? How important has client screening been to Steve?
Q4. What level of service can we give to our clients online? How do we keep the “personal” element in online PT?
Q5. What advice would Steve give to someone who wishes to begin an online coaching business? What in hindsight would you (Steve) say were the biggest mistakes you made when starting the business?
Q6. What are the best tools Steve would recommend for increasing efficiency in your personal training business?
Q7. How does Steve decide when it’s time to expand the business? What attributes does Steve look for in a prospective coach?
Q8. How difficult does Steve find it to delegate?
Topic 2: Evidence-based practice.
Q9. What does evidence-based practice mean to Steve?
All show notes and links can be found at: www.hpascience.com/episode35
In this episode David is joined by Professor Martin Gibala of MacMaster University.
Professor Gibala's research examines the regulation of skeletal muscle energy provision and he is particularly interested in the potential for exercise and/or nutrition to induce metabolic adaptations at the molecular and cellular levels in humans. In addition to basic, mechanistic studies, he also conducts applied research that examines the impact of exercise training and dietary manipulation on sport performance. Recently the work in his laboratory has focused on two main areas:
(1) Metabolic adaptations to low-volume, high-intensity interval training, with an emphasis on the regulation of oxidative energy provision.
(2) The potential for alterations in nutrient availability to impact the acute or chronic adaptations to exercise training.
David and Professor Gibala discuss the following:
Sprint Interval training & "The One Minute Workout" Q2. Is only a couple of minutes of intense exercise a week really enough to elicit an increase in fitness and improve health? Q3. What kind of increase in health and fitness can we expect to see from this low volume, high-intensity exercise? Q4. What level of intensity / resistance should an individual use and how they determine this? Q5. What are the underlying mechanisms that allow such a response from such little exercise? Q6. What populations is this type of exercise suited to? Is it just for trained individuals or does it have applications in clinical and general populations? How would people go about beginning such a program? Q7. Does everyone respond similarly to this style of training? What is the level of non-responders like? What level of dose response do we see to elicit maximal results? Q8. What direction should future research go in this area? For full show notes: www.hpascience.com/episode34
This week David had the pleasure of being joined by Omar Isuf.
Omar is a successful fitness entrepreneur who transitioned from a personal trainer to a full-time YouTuber, with a current following of approximately 600,000 subscribers. Omar provides evidence-based content for his followers and regularly collaborates with world-leading experts. Omar used his influence to launch his own apparel company, Raskol apparel.
David and Omar discuss:
Topic 1: Building a social media brand Q1. How vital has honesty and moral integrity been to the success of Omar's brand? Q2. What are the key attributes to building a successful social media brand? Q3. What key analytics/elements that are important to monitor? Q4. How do you encourage interaction with a fan-base? Q5. What are the 3 key pieces of advice for people looking to grow their YouTube following? Q6. What is the best way to deal with negative or even personal attacks on social media? Topic 2: Networking Q7. How valuable have collaborations been to the continued growth of Omar's brand? Topic 3: The supplement industry Q8. What impact does the supplement industry have on people? What are some of the underhanded techniques employed by the supplement industry? For full shownotes: www.hpascience.com/episode33
In this episode David is joined by Dr. Llion Roberts. Llion began his research training at John Moores University, Liverpool, UK; before moving to The University of Queensland in 2011 to undertake his PhD in sports physiology. He specifically examined the physiological, mechanistic and applied effects of cold water immersion after strength exercise; and the acute Vs chronic implications of its use.
His research interests lie with understanding the basic physiological and mechanistic responses to exercise bouts, and how they can be manipulated to maximize training adaptation per se, and in athletes. After his PhD, Llion has continued this line of research, examining the mechanistic, physiological and applied aspects of recovery and intervention therapies including heat, nutraceutical supplementation; and more recently, blood flow restricted exercise.
David & Llion discuss:
Q1. What exactly defines cold water immersion? i.e. is there a maximum temperature the water must be? Q2. What physiological response do we observe when we engage in CWI? Q3. From a practical perspective, what impact has CWI post resistance training on muscle adaptations to strength training? Q4. What impact does CWI have on anabolic signalling? Q5. What role does inflammation play in response to resistance training? Q6. Is inflammation something we should try and embrace or something we should try and limit? For full show-notes see: www.hpascience.com/episode32
This week David has the pleasure of being joined by Molly Galbraith, strength coach & co-founder of Girls Gone Strong, a global movement that provides a common voice of body-positive, evidence-based information about strength training, nutrition, having a fit pregnancy, women’s health, physical therapy and injury prevention, fat loss, mindset, and much more.
Molly has a wealth of experience, having competed in figure shows, powerlifting and through her own personal struggles which she talks openly about.
In this show David and Molly discuss:
- What is Girls gone strong? - What is it's mission? - What has been the influence of the weight loss industry on women? Topic 1: Common misconceptions women have regarding training - Is the common fear of lifting heavy weights making women "bulky" justified? - Should women exercise during pregnancy? - What type of exercise? - Is weight training safe? - What is the importance or strengthening the pelvic floor muscles following pregnancy, should every woman be doing these type of exercises? Topic 2: Body confidence - What are the main "flaws" women can unhealthily obsess about? - As a personal trainer, how do you deal with women who are obsessing over body image and self-identified "flaws"? Topic 3: Business & social media - How important is honesty in building a successful brand? - What are the key elements to building a successful social media following? For full show-notes: www.hpascience.com/episode31
This week David had the honour of being joined by Dr. Trisha Scribbans.
Dr. Trisha Scribbans’s research interests include identifying strategies of improving patient clinical outcomes following athletic therapy (AT) and other allied health care treatments/therapies and advancing the role of ATs and kinesiologists within the Canadian health care system. She is also interested in the mechanisms underlying the ability of high-intensity interval training/exercise (HIT) to elicit comparable improvements in local (e.g. skeletal muscle) and systemic metabolism as moderate-intensity extended duration exercise (i.e. endurance training), variability in individual responses to exercise training, and the development of anatomical and educational models for the improvement of manual skill acquisition in novice health care providers.
In this episode David & Dr. Scribbans discuss:
Topic 1: Exercise Adaptations and Training Intensity Q1. What is Vo2 max & how significant a role does ones Vo2 max play in their health status? Q2. How is the exact definition of high intensity training? (Is there a difference between HIT and SIT?) Q3. Can HIT elicit the same adaptations as conventional endurance training? Is one form of training superior to the other in terms of increasing Vo2 Max and performance? Q4. What are the underlying mechanism that allow similar benefits to be achieved from HIT training as from endurance training? Topic 2: Individuality and responses to exercise protocols Q5. What role does inter-individual response play in exercise response and adaptations? Do we all respond to exercise training in a similar way? Q6. What factors might lead to these response differences? For full shownotes see: www.hpascience.com/episode30
This week David had the pleasure of being joined by James Krieger.
James Krieger is the founder of Weightology. He has a Master's degree in Nutrition from the University of Florida and a second Master's degree in Exercise Science from Washington State University. He is the former research director for a corporate weight management program that treated over 400 people per year, with an average weight loss of 40 pounds in 3 months. His former clients include the founder of Sylvan Learning Centers and The Little Gym, the vice president of Costco, and a former vice president of MSN.
James is a published scientist, author, and speaker in the field of exercise and nutrition. He has published research in prestigious scientific journals, including the American journal of clinical nutrition and the Journal of applied physiology. n his previous lay publication, Weightology Weekly, he wrote over 70 articles per year covering the latest science in a manner that was friendly and easy to understand. James is also the former science editor for Pure Power Magazine, and the former editor for Journal of Pure Power, both publications that delivered scientific, but lay-friendly, information on training and nutrition to athletes and coaches. In addition, James has given over 75 lectures on fitness-related topics to physicians, dietitians, and other professionals, and has been a speaker at major events such as the AFPT Conference and NSCA Personal Training Conference. In fact, James has been involved in the health, nutrition, and fitness field for over 20 years, and has written over 500 articles. He is a strong believer in an evidence-based, scientific approach to body transformation and health.
James and David discuss:
Topic 1: Insulin & fat oxidation Q1. What is the difference between fat oxidation and fat loss? Is fat oxidation a good indicator of subsequent fat loss? Q2. Is controlling insulin the key to fat loss? By keeping insulin low will we increase fat loss? Q4. How important is protein intake pre & post workout? Does the anabolic window exist? Topic 3: Mentality and Critical thinking. Q5. What is confirmation bias? How important is openly and genuinely considering opinions/ arguments which are contradictory to your own beliefs? Q6. What is a strawman? How prevalent are strawman arguments in the health industry and how do we spot them? Q7. What are the most important elements of true critical thinking and interpretation? For full show-notes: www.hpascience.com/episode29
This week David has the pleasure of being joined by Dr. Vandre Casagrande Figuieredo, a post - doctoral researcher at the University of Kentucky, Lexington.
Dr. Figuieredo's main interests is in the role of ribosome biogenesis in muscle hypertrophy regulation. Vandre previously studied at the prestigious Karolinska institute, Sweden.
In this episode David and Vandre discuss:
Q1. What are ribosomes? Q2. What is ribosome biogenesis and what role does it play in muscle hypertrophy? Q3. From a practical perspective, is there anything we can do / should not do to maximise ribosome biogenesis following resistance training. For full shownotes & links see: www.hpascience.com/episode28
In this episode David is joined by Dr. Kevin Murach. Dr. Murach is a post-doctoral researcher at the University of Kentucky.
Kevin has a PhD. in human bioenergetics and his PhD. research was in conjunction with NASA aiming to design optimal exercise programs for astronauts to minimise the detrimental impact of decreased gravity.
Kevin's current research interests are in concurrent training and in this episode David and Kevin discuss:
Q1. What is concurrent training? Q2. Where did the idea that endurance training hinders muscle gain come from? Q3. What effect does concurrent training have on muscle hypertrophy potential? - Overview of molecular adaptations of resistance and endurance training. - What is the interference effect? What does the evidence show is the relationship between mTOR and AMPK? - What are satellite cells and what is their role in muscle hypertrophy? What impact does resistance and endurance training have on satellite cells? - The results of Kevin's review on muscle growth with concurrent training. Q4. What effect does concurrent training have on strength and power? Would the significance be greater for advanced trainees? Q5. What are the practical applications / recommendations can we give for anyone who wants to do aerobic exercise but also maximise muscle hypertrophy? For all shownotes see: www.hpascience.com/episode27
This week David had the honour of being joined by Nick Tumminello. Nick is regarded as one of the best personal trainers in the world and is the NSCA personal trainer of the year 2016 & 2015 Personal trainer hall of fame inductee.
Nick is now known as the “trainer of trainers” and educates personal trainers about there professional development.
In this episode David & Nick discuss:
What are the main misconceptions new personal trainers have coming into the industry?
What are the main misconceptions veteran personal trainers have in the industry?
What are the best ways to attract new clients?
What are the best ways to retain clients?
Show-notes available at: www.hpascience.com/episode26
This week David had the pleasure of being joined by Ben Coomber.
Ben is a UK based performance nutritionist, writer, speaker and educator. Ben inspires people through his highly successful podcast, Ben Coomber radio.
In this episode David and Ben discuss:
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The importance of goal setting, both process & outcome goals.
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The significance of stress and it's influence on our lives.
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Why "eating clean" isn't the complete answer.
For show notes: www.hpascience.com/episode25
In this episode David had the absolute pleasure of being joined by Phil Graham.
Phil lives with type I diabetes, a condition which he manages very well. Phil has a background in nutrition, human physiology and biochemistry. Phil is recognised as an industry expert:
"I now educate thousands of personal trainers each year through my public seminars, workshops and keynote at some of the world’s most prestigious health and fitness exhibitions.
I actively write for many the world’s biggest fitness publications, including Muscle & Fitness, Flex and Train International. I’ve also written exclusively on fitness for the Daily Mail and other national newspapers.
I host the famous fitness podcast ‘Elite Muscle Radio’ which has reached #1 on the iTunes Health chart several times. The show features some of the best minds and highly regarded experts within the industry, all of whom I have established strong networks and relationships.
I also work alongside Genetic Supplements as their resident nutrition expert for product development."
In this episode David & Phil discuss:
What is diabetes?
What are the different types? what causes them? What implications do they have?
What is the best form of exercise for people living with diabetes to engage in?
What considerations do personal trainers need to have to work with diabetic clients?
For shownotes: www.hpascience.com/episode24
This week David had the pleasure of being joined by Brad Loomis of 3D muscle journey.
Brad Loomis first stepped on the competitive bodybuilding stage in 2003. Earning his Pro status in 2008 at the INBF Washington State Naturals, Brad has since competed as a Pro in the PNBA, IFPA and WNBF organizations. Brad also began competing in raw Powerlifting in 2010 achieving a measure of success in both the 165lbs and 181lbs weight classes and earning the Bronze Medal in the 74kg Master 1 class at the 2015 USAPL Raw Nationals.
Despite his accomplishments as a bodybuilder and powerlifter, Brad considers his greatest talent to be coaching. “I have an innate ability to translate the subject and communicate that to the client or athlete whether it is in the classroom, the football field, the weight room, or the cosmetic stage.” Thus, being a Team 3DMJ coach is a “dream job” for Brad as he gets to live his passion and do what he feels he is good at every day. “God gave me this talent and now He has granted me the opportunity to put it to good use, every day, hand in hand with the 4 best coaches in the business.
In this episode David and Brad discuss:
Topic 1: Programming for the advanced athlete. Q1. What are the main considerations the advanced/elite athletes need to have when periodising their training? Q2. What is the best way to track progress for the elite athlete? Q3. How do we best maintain strength during a dieting phase or is it just something we should expect? Topic 2: The reality of coaching Q4. Coaching can be seen as black & white, what unexpected roles or jobs have you encountered during your experience as a coach? Q5. What is your hierarchy of attributes that make a good coach? www.hpascience.com
This week David had the pleasure of being joined by Professor Jose Antonio. Professor Antonio is the CEO and co-founder of the International Society of Sports Nutrition.
Dr. Antonio is an Assistant Professor of Exercise and Sports Science at Nova Southeastern University in South Florida.
In this episode David and Jose discuss the following:
Topic 1: High protein diets Q1. Are high protein diets detrimental to our health? (in relation to your most recent article). Q2. what are the benefits of a high protein diet? Topic 2: Children & nutrition Q3. Should children just be treated as "mini-adults" in terms of nutrition. Topic 3: Misunderstood research terms & procedures: Q4. What is statistical significance, Can something be statistically significant but not real world significant? Q5. What safeguards/ standard procedures are put in place to ensure industry-funded research isn't compromised? Q6. What are the "red flags" we should watch out that may suggest research results may be tampered with or manipulated? For education & coaching: www.hpascience.com
In this episode David had the pleasure of being joined by Dr. Brad Dieter.
Brad is a Research Fellow at Sacred Heart Medical Research. His research is focused on discovering novel therapies of diabetic kidney disease. In his quest for a therapeutic agent he adopts a bench to bedside approach adeptly utilizing molecular biology and biostatistics. His long term career goals include leading a research team to make major inroads in health care and improve treatment options for chronic disease.
In addition to his lab and biostatistics work Brad is passionate about scientific outreach and making inroads with the public through media. Nutrition is one of the biggest issues in our current environment as well as one of Brad's passion. The need for better public awareness and understanding, along with this desire to educate and inspire, Brad created Science Driven Nutrition, an online platform to deliver science based nutrition advice to the public.
In this episode David & Brad discussed:
Topic 1: Metabolic damage.
Q1. We here a lot of trainers & coaches trying to market ways to "fix your metabolism", is there such a thing as a broken metabolism & is there any merit to strategies such as "reverse dieting."
Topic 2: Body weight regulation; based on your recent article.
Q2. Is the calories on vs calories out completely correct? (assumptions, limitations etc).
Q3. What role does insulin play in regulating body weight (Carbohydrate insulin hypothesis)
Q4. What role doe Leptin play in body weight regulation?
Q5. What is your new theory of body weight regulation?
Topic 3: Interpreting data and sports nutrition
Q6: What are the main mistakes we see people make interpretations from research?
Q7. What are the main considerations you suggest people should have when reading research?
www.hpascience.com/episode21
This week David has the honour of being joined by Dr. Quinn Henoch. Dr. Henoch has a doctorate of physical therapy from the University of Indianapolis and is the founder of Clinical athlete. Dr. Henoch is the current head of sports physical therapy at juggernaut training systems HQ. In this episode David & Dr. Henoch discuss: Topic 1: Common misconceptions & buzzwords. What is muscle tightness? Why is stretching not the answer? What are the benefits of foam? Why is it not great for recovery? Glute activation - what is it and how should it be used? Topic 2: Mobility What is the best way to improve mobility? What are the main rules/ messages when it comes to mobility work? All links and show-notes can be found at: hpascience.com/episode20
In this episode David had the pleasure of being joined by Andy Morgan.
Andy Morgan is the founder of the website ripped body.com and is an author and online coach who specialises in training and nutrition coaches for physique orientated individuals.
In this episode we cover a range of topics which include:
Topic 1: Weight fluctuations & Stalls during fat loss dieting * What kind of weight fluctuations should we expect when dieting and what do they mean?
(i)Why an Initial Change In Weight Is Probably Not Fat Loss? (ii) Why sudden weight gain probably isn't fat (iii) Are sudden stalls in weight something to worry about. (iv) What does a sudden decrease in weight mean? * How to track progress when dieting/ common mistakes made by people when tracking progress.
Topic 2: Diet breaks. * What is a diet break? When should it be used and what are the benefits?
Topic 3: Communication with Clients & Potential Clients (directly & indirectly) * . How important is it to write in "your own voice" on social media and your website.
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How important is client filtering?
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Why smartphones may be a poor method of communication with clients
In this episode we are joined by Dr. James Hoffmann.
James Hoffman is professor or Exercise Science at Temple University in Philadelphia, PA. James earned his PhD in Sport Physiology under Dr. Mike Stone of ETSU, where he focused on the application of sled pushing to sport performance enhancement in Rugby players.
James has coached numerous Rugby players at ETSU as the team’s assistant coach and Head Sport Scientist, where he was also the head strength and conditioning coach and weight room manager. James is a lifetime athlete, having reached high levels of competition in Rugby, American Football, and Wrestling.
In this episode we discuss:
Topic 1 : Nutritional Periodisation
Q2. What is nutritional periodisation
Q3. How do we use nutritional periodisation to enhance performance / optimise body composition?
Q4. What considerations need to be made when designing a nutritional periodisation plan?
Topic 2: Training periodisation
Q5. What is it?, Why do we need it?
Q6. Should certain elements be prioritised throughout the whole Macrocycle? (speed for example).
Topic 3: Recovery strategies
Q7. Are recovery strategies sport specific? Should powerlifters recover different to rugby players?
Q8. What novel recovery strategies (foam rolling, ice baths etc), actually work and which do not?
Topic 4: Tapering
Q9. What is it and why do we need it?
Q.10 Again is it sport specific? How does it differ between sports?
Q11. How do we decide what taper strategy to use?
In this episode I had the pleasure of being joined by Luke Johnson, the founder of shredded by science.
Luke Johnson is a personal trainer & educator. The prestigious SBS academy sets the gold standard for personal trainer education.
In this episode we cover:
Topic 1: Gym Floor/Offline Client Acquisition Strategies Q1. What is the best way to approach to recruit clients in person? Q2. What common mistakes are made when recruiting from the gym floor? Q3. Best "tips" to increase client acquisition? Topic 2: Social media & online marketing strategies. Q4. What social media outlets are essential for Coaches? Q5. How do we distinguish ourselves from others? Q6. What are the most effective marketing strategies for (i) newly establish coaching services (ii) established coaches who want to expand their reach? Check out our website for links mentioned in this show.
In this episode I am joined by Andrea Valdez, a coach with 3D muscle journey.
We cover the following topics.
Topic 1: The mental aspect of bodybuilding
Q1. People often think as bodybuilding as purely physical, What are the main mental strains bodybuilding places on an athlete, in particular beginner competitive bodybuilding. Q2. How do we balance our bodybuilding goals our relationship /social goals? Topic 2: Coaching as an art form & a science. Q3. A major trend towards evidence based practice has occurred in bodybuilding & coaching as a whole. Can coaches fall into the trap of relying too much on the science and have forgotten the true meaning of coaching, that is to emotional connect with people and relate with them to achieve their goals? * How important is emotional intelligence in coaching * How important is knowledge of psychology/ motivation for a coach * How important is experience/ instinct in coaching etc.
Email the show: David@hpadvancement.com
In this episode I am joined by one of the founding coaches of 3D muscle journey, Alberto Nunez.
Alberto is an experienced natural bodybuilder, coach and author.
In this episode we discuss transition periods & the reality of online coaching. We covered questions such as:
Topic: 1 - Transition periods for bodybuilding Q1. How important are transition periods for bodybuilding, how does training change in the off season compared to the on-season. Q2. What training considerations must be observed when transition between off & on-season. Q3. How does your nutrition approach change between on & off season Q4. What level of conditioning (BF%) should we aim to be at in the off-season (ie. should we limit the amount of fat we gain in the off-season, lean vs traditional bulking) Topic 2 - The reality of online coaching. Q5. What time commitment does online coaching require?, How long does it take per client. Q6. Pros & cons of online coaching. Q7. Considerations for anyone who wishes to begin online coaching. Any links mentioned in this episode can be found over on our Facebook page.
In this show I am joined by Dr. Aaron Horschig, a physical therapist & founder of squat university.
In this episode we cover;
Topic 1: Myths and common misconceptions surrounding the squat; Q1. What role does Individuality (bone structure) play in the squat performance? Should everyone squat to full depth? Is everyone capable of squatting to depth? Q2. Forces acting upon the knee in the squat (are squats bad for your knees?) Q3.How do weightlifting shoes alter our squat mechanics? What shoe type is optimal for squatting? Q4. Should the knees be allowed go over the toes? Topic 2: Youth weight training; Q5. Should children be weight training & if so what age should they begin Q6. Does youth weight training stunt growth? Q7. Are kids at a greater risk of injury compared to adults when weight training? Q8. As a coach what training considerations should we keep in mind when prescribing weight training to youth athletes. Topic 3: Injuries in the squat: Q9. What are the common injuries we see in squatting? How are they caused? Q10. Treatment & prevention strategies for these? Q11. Butt wink? What is it? What significance does it have? As always please share this episode across your social media and tag us in the post!
My guest for this episode is Dr. Andy Galpin.
Andy is a tenured Professor in the Center for Sport Performance at CSU Fullerton. Andy spent 4 years studying the structure and function of human skeletal muscle at the single cell level. A feat which earned him a PhD in Human Bioenergetics in 2011. This also resulted in the friendship with frequent collaborator Dr. Jimmy Bagley and the ability to open up his own "Biochemistry and Molecular Exercise Physiology Laboratory" at CSU Fullerton.
He now focuses his attention on teaching classes (Sports Nutrition, Exercise Physiology, Designing Exercise Programs, Applied Strength and Conditioning, Athlete Assessment and Measurement, etc.) and running the BMEP lab (which studies the acute responses and chronic adaptations of human skeletal muscle in response to high force/velocity/power and fatiguing exercise from the whole body, down to the individual muscle fiber and even into the individual DNA. We do this by taking muscle biopsies from non-athletes and elite athletes from different backgrounds (e.g. normal college student, MMA fighter, Boxer, Weightlifter, etc.) and use highly sophisticated laboratory techniques and equipment to address questions about single fiber "type", size, function, protein quantity, diameter, mitochondria, and myonuclear function.
In this episode we discuss:
- The physiology of fat loss:
How do we lose weight from a physiological perspective? What actually happens?
What is the best form of exercise to loss body fat or is there even one best way?
- Lactate:
What is lactate and why do we produce it?
How do we use lactate as fuel, a buffer or a hormone?
Note: In this episode we delve into deep physiology and biochemistry so if any words used are strange to you please head over to our Facebook page and find the glossary for this show.
This week I am joined by Jorn Trommelen, a PhD. candidate in muscle physiology in the lab of Luc van Loon.
In this episode we discuss:
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Pre sleep protein ingestion and its effect on MPS and muscle gain
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Insulin and its anabolic effects and effects on body composition
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Sucrose & fructose as carbohydrate sources for endurance athletes.
Show notes & links can be found on our Facebook page, HPA human performance advancement.
Email: Education@hpadvancement.com
This week we chat with Dr. Mike T Nelson.
Dr. Mike T. Nelson has spent 18 years of his life learning how the human body works, specifically focusing on how to properly condition it to burn fat and become stronger, more flexible, and healthier.
He's has a PhD in Exercise Physiology, a BA in Natural Science, and an MS in Biomechanics.
He's an adjunct professor and a member of the American College of Sports Medicine.
He's been called in to share his techniques with top government agencies.
The techniques he's developed, and the results Mike gets for his clients have been featured in international magazines, in scientific publications, and on websites across the globe.
In this episode we discuss:
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Heart rate variability, what is it? how do we use it?
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Metabolic flexibility
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Stress & sleep
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sympathetic vs parasympathetic nervous system.
My guest this week is Dr. Edward Coughlan, skills acquisition specialist.
"As a Skill Acquisition Specialist I empower athletes across all sporting dsiciplines to perform their best in competition. Ineffective practice is why most athletes fall short of peak performance. Practice MUST transfer and Skill Acquisition is the route to achieving that. Skill Acquisition is the perfect blend of Coaching Science, Sport Science and Sport Psychology. All three domains are in constant flow during a session as I connect with an athlete to unlock their potential."
In this episode we discuss:
1.Spatial awareness & decisions making, are these traits inherent or can they be significantly improved through coaching and if so how do we go about this?
2.Simulation in field sports: Is the common practice of drills and simulated games the most effective way of improving skills performance in games such as GAA, soccer etc.
3.How important is deliberate practice in skill acquisition? Why the 10,000 hour rule is invalid?
4.How vision training can improve performance and what is the Mi-Sight programme?
5.Why skills testing is just as important than fitness testing.
Dr. Coughlans website: http://dredwardcoughlan.com
Robert Linkul is the head personal trainer and the owner of Be STRONGER Fitness. Robert has his masters degree in personal training from the United State Sports Academy (University of Alabama) and a bachelors degree in kinesiology from California State University of Sacramento. Linkul is the Southwest Regional Coordinator with the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) and was named the NSCA's 2012 Personal Trainer of the year. Robert serves as the chairman for the NSCA's personal trainer special interest group and is the career development columnist for the NSCA's personal training quarterly publication.
Linkul is an NSCA Certified Personal Trainer (NSCA-CPT D) and a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS D) with distinction. Robert has also earned a Master Sandbag Instructors Certification from Alpha Strong and is a CPT and CSCS exam preparation symposium instructor for the NSCA. Robert has been in the personal training industry since 1999 and has developed a semi-private group training style that few in the industry have mastered.
In this episode we discuss:
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Professional and business development for personal trainers
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Marketing & Social media for trainers
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Developing a coaching philosophy
Dr Tim Gabbett has 20 years experience working as an applied sport scientist with athletes and coaches from a wide range of sports.
He holds a PhD in Human Physiology (2000) and has completed a second PhD in the Applied Science of Professional Football (2011) , with special reference to physical demands, injury prevention, and skill acquisition.
Tim has worked with elite international athletes over several Commonwealth Games (2002 and 2006) and Olympic Games (2000, 2004, and 2008) cycles. He continues to work as a sport science and coaching consultant for several high performance teams around the world.
Tim has published over 200 peer-reviewed articles and has presented at over 200 national and international conferences. He is committed to performing world-leading research that can be applied in the ‘real world’ to benefit high performance coaches and athletes.
In this episode we discuss:
Wearable sensors
Load monitoring
Data management for sports
In this episode we are joined by Professor Stuart Philips of MacMaster University.
Prof. Stu's research pertains to the optimisation of exercise adaptions through nutritional and training manipulation, especially protein intake.
In this episode we discuss:
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External factors that effect hypertrophy , MPS, training load & hormones.
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The effect of high protein diet for weight loss
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The importance of high protein diets for general health
As always links to any papers we mention can be found on our Facebook page or by requesting to join our mailing list.
This week we are joined by elite level powerlifter and one of the brains behind strengtheory.com, Greg Nuckols.
Greg and I discuss muscle asymmetry, its causes and potential consequences. A in-depth look at bar path in the bench press and leg drive is discussed.
Also Greg goes into his views and opinions on occlusion or blood flow restriction training and how it may be used in strength sports.
As always the links to any resources mentioned can be found on our Facebook page.
This week we I am joined by Dr. Mike Israetel, contributing author of the scientific principles of strength training and several other texts. Mike holds a PhD. in exercise physiology and is a Professor of exercise physiology at Temple University.
In this episode we discuss:
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Maximal recoverable volume, what is it? and how do you use it?
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Identifying weak links and adapting training to them.
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Weight cutting for powerlifting
Renaissance periodisation : http://renaissanceperiodization.com
Eric Helms is part of the 3D muscle journey team, who provide top - level, evidence based personal training and education.
Eric holds an undergraduate degree in exercise science, two masters degrees and is currently completing his PhD. in strength and conditioning.
In this episode we discuss:
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The limit of muscle growth for drug free athletes
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The limit of strength for drug free athletes
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Common mistakes made by fitness professionals
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What level of knowledge should one be at before considering coaching.
Arthur has a first class honours degree from the university of Limerick, where he is also undertaking his PhD in sports performance presently.
Arthur is an international power-lifter who recently placed 9th in the world at the IPF world championships in Austin , Texas.
In this episode we discuss:
The difference between training for powerlifting and bodybuilding.
Common errors made by new athletes
How to tell if a coach is knowledgable.
Danny Lennon is founder and CEO of sigma nutrition. Danny owns the famous sigma nutrition radio podcast series and works as a nutrition coach with several elite athletes.
In this episode we discuss:
Calorie deficits: how much and why?
Why a diet works as opposed to what diet works?
The importance of evidence based practice