Science for Sport Podcast
Episode Archive
Episode Archive
300 episodes of Science for Sport Podcast since the first episode, which aired on April 4th, 2020.
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284: Club Plans & Personal Coaches: Adding An Edge?
September 8th, 2025 | 32 mins 14 secs
athlete monitoring, case studies mahomes lebron brady, central contracts, club vs personal coach, coaching philosophy, collaboration in sport, communication in teams, data sharing, elite sport, external practitioners, football performance, gps tracking, high performance, injury prevention, load management, multidisciplinary teams, olympic sport, performance pathways, periodisation, player availability, player welfare, premier league, programme design, recovery strategies, regeneration, return to play, rugby performance, s&c, sports science, strength and conditioning
Richard Graves and performance coach Daniel Booth debate how clubs, national teams, and personal practitioners can align around “one athlete, one plan” without adding risk—covering communication, data sharing, contracts, and load management. Practical takeaways draw on football, rugby, Olympic sport, and case studies like Mahomes and LeBron to show what good collaboration looks like in practice.
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283: The Future of VBT: Why It’s More Than Just a Training Tool
September 1st, 2025 | 31 mins 10 secs
athleteperformance, athleticdevelopment, chatgpt said: sportsscience, coachingscience, conditioning, datadrivencoaching, datainsport, elitesport, forceplates, highperformance, nbastrengthcoach, nrl, performancecoach, performancetraining, playerdevelopment, powertraining, scienceforsport, sportsanalytics, sportsciencepodcast, sportsperformance, sportstech, strengthandconditioning, strengthtraining, trainingload, vbt, velocitybasedtraining
In this episode, Richard Graves talks with Nathan Spencer, Strength & Power Coach at St. George Illawarra Dragons and former NBA Performance Coach with the Orlando Magic. They explore velocity-based training, using data effectively in elite sport, and practical lessons from high-performance environments.
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282: AI in the Weight Room: Jacob Rothman on the Future of Velocity-Based Training
August 25th, 2025 | 25 mins 11 secs
ai in sport, ai in strength and conditioning, athlete health, athlete monitoring, athlete monitoring systems, athlete readiness, athletic performance, camera based training tech, catapult sports, data-driven training, elite sport performance, gym technology for athletes, injury prevention, lsu football training, perch technology, performance analytics, sports analytics, sports coaching technology, sports data integration, sports performance data, sports science, sports science podcast, sports technology, strength and conditioning, strength training, training optimisation, vbt, velocity based training, velocity tracking, weight room technology
This week, host Richard Graves talks with Jacob Rothman, founder of Perch and now Head of Strength at Catapult, about how AI-powered, camera-based technology is transforming strength and conditioning in elite sport. Discover how Perch’s integration with Catapult is helping teams connect weight-room data with on-field performance to drive smarter, safer training decisions.
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281: From NFL Star to MMA Innovator: Shawne Merriman on Sports Science & tech in Combat Sports
August 18th, 2025 | 31 mins 37 secs
athlete career transition, athlete discipline training, combat sports innovation, football to mma success stories, g-force in combat sports, lights out extreme fighting, lxf mma, mixed martial arts promotion, mma performance analytics, mma punch tracking technology, mma sponsorship opportunities for small businesses, nfl athletes in combat sports, nfl performance training, nfl pro bowl linebacker, nfl to mma, shawne merriman, sports science in mma, sports tech for fan engagement, sports technology, virtual advertising in sport
Former NFL star Shawne “Lights Out” Merriman joins the Science for Sport Podcast to share how he’s transforming MMA through cutting-edge sports technology, athlete development, and innovative promotion strategies. Discover how his NFL career, performance training insights, and game-changing tech like live punch-tracking are shaping the future of combat sports.
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280: Sports Science at the Intersection of Youth and Professional Football with Luke Harris
August 11th, 2025 | 31 mins 32 secs
a-league, athlete recovery, athletic performance, elite athlete development, football coaching, football fitness, force plates, gps tracking, injury prevention, physical preparation, player development, sports data, sports performance, sports science, sports science insights, sports science technology, sports technology, strength and conditioning, women’s football, youth football, youth to pro transition
Luke Harris, Head of Strength & Conditioning and Sports Science at Adelaide United, manages the development of both youth and women's teams, focusing on individualized athlete care and performance optimization. With expertise in integrating technology and building player relationships, Luke is dedicated to driving success through a balance of team goals and personal development.
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279: Culture, Consistency, and Coaching Success in Elite Sport with Steve McNamara
August 4th, 2025 | 35 mins 27 secs
athlete development, catalans dragons, coaching, coaching philosophy, elite sport, england rugby league, high performance, performance sport, player development, rugby league, rugby podcast, sports coaching, sports leadership, steve mcnamara, team culture
In this episode, Richard Graves speaks with legendary Rugby League coach Steve McNamara about his 36-year journey through the sport, from playing in Hull to coaching England and Catalans Dragons. Steve shares powerful lessons on leadership, culture, and the evolution of the modern game.
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278: Carbs, Gels & Behaviour Change: The Real Science of Sports Fueling with Ted Munson
July 28th, 2025 | 34 mins 9 secs
athletefueling, behaviourchange, brentfordfc, carbloading, eliteathletes, footballfitness, footballnutrition, footballscience, fuellikeapro, grassrootsfootball, matchdayfuel, nutrition, performancenutrition, pregamefuel, premierleague, recoverynutrition, scienceforsport, sportsnutrition, sportsperformance, tedmunson
Ted Munson, Lead Performance Nutritionist at Brentford FC, joins the podcast to share what it really takes to fuel elite footballers. From carb loading and travel routines to behaviour change and common fuelling mistakes, Ted offers practical advice for professionals and grassroots athletes alike.
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277: Is Youth Football in Crisis? With Andrew Hyde
July 21st, 2025 | 31 mins 54 secs
academy football, athlete wellbeing, coaching, early specialisation, football, long-term athlete development, maturation, multisport, parental pressure, performance, social media in sport, sport psychology, strength and conditioning, talent development, youth development
In this episode, strength and conditioning coach Andrew Hyde explores the pressures facing young footballers, from early specialisation to social media and parental expectations. He shares practical insights on how coaches and parents can better support long-term athlete development while keeping the joy in sport.
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276: Coaching Through Rehab with Michael Carolan
July 14th, 2025 | 35 mins 27 secs
acl rehab, athlete rehab, coaching injured athletes, coaching psychology, communication in sport, elite athlete rehab, functional training, injury prevention, injury recovery, load management, mental health in athletes, performance coaching, professional sport rehab, rehab coaching, rehab protocols, return to play, sport performance, sports rehabilitation, sports science, strength and conditioning
In this episode, performance coach and rehab expert Michael Carolan shares his athlete-first approach to coaching through injury, blending science, communication, and real-world experience. From pro footballers to military personnel, Michael explains how tailored rehab, psychological support, and smart coaching can turn setbacks into comebacks.
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275: What It Really Takes: A Look at Life as a Professional Footballer
July 7th, 2025 | 33 mins 48 secs
acl recovery, athlete mental health, athlete mindset, athlete wellbeing, career transition, elite sport, football, football career, football injuries, football mentorship, football nutrition, football training, life after sport, player development, professional footballer, resilience in sport, sam winnall, science for sport, sports performance, sports psychology, sports science
Former professional footballer Sam Winnall joins the Science for Sport podcast to share honest insights from his 15-year career, including the highs, lows, and mental demands of life in elite football. He also discusses his transition into mentoring athletes and the importance of mindset, resilience, and life beyond sport.
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274: The Truth About Blood Flow Restriction with Dr. Warren Bradley
June 30th, 2025 | 25 mins 38 secs
athlete recovery, athletic recovery, bfr training, blood flow restriction, elite athlete training, endurance training, exercise physiology, fitness innovation, hytro, injury rehab, muscle growth, nasa training, performance coaching, professional sports, space training, sports performance, sports science, strength and conditioning, strength training, wearable fitness technology
Dr. Warren Bradley is the Founder and Chief Science Officer of Hytro, a pioneer in blood flow restriction (BFR) wearables. With a PhD in Exercise Physiology and over a decade working in elite sport, he’s helped make BFR training accessible to athletes at all levels, from Premier League stars to grassroots performers.
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273: Creating Complete Athletes
June 23rd, 2025 | 34 mins 46 secs
athlete development, athlete wellbeing, coaching athletes, coaching science, elite athletes, elite performance, extrinsic motivation, high performance sport, imposter syndrome, intrinsic motivation, mental performance, motivation in sport, performance mindset, psychological safety, sport coaching, sport neuroscience, sports psychology, sports science, strength and conditioning, youth athlete development
Sports scientist and psychologist Julia Eyre joins Richard Graves to explore what it really takes to develop complete, high-performing athletes. From motivation and mindset to imposter syndrome and psychological safety, this episode challenges conventional thinking in elite sport.
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272: Inside Catapult: Global Trends, Common Pitfalls & the Future of Sports Science
June 16th, 2025 | 43 mins 21 secs
athlete monitoring, athlete performance, catapult sports, coaching insights, data analytics in sport, elite sport, fatigue monitoring, gps tracking, high performance, performance analysis, performance trends, professional sport, sports data, sports science, sports science careers, sports scientist, sports tech, sports technology, training load, wearable technology
Catapult’s VP of Customer Success, Chris Polley, joins the show to share global trends, common pitfalls, and real-world insights from working with 4,400+ elite teams. Discover how the world’s best apply sports science tech to gain a competitive edge.
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271: Strength First: Why It Underpins Everything
June 9th, 2025 | 28 mins 21 secs
athletic development, coaching, elite sport, gps data, high performance, injury prevention, performance coaching, periodisation, physical preparation, player monitoring, player wellbeing, power training, preseason planning, return to play, robustness, rugby league, rugby performance, rugby union, sports science, strength and conditioning
Leicester Tigers’ Head of Performance, Matt Parr, shares insights from coaching across both rugby union and league. From building strength and robustness to managing return-to-play and player wellbeing, this episode dives deep into the science behind elite performance.
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270: Dr. James Morehen on Fueling England Rugby Through the Six Nations
June 2nd, 2025 | 43 mins 26 secs
athlete recovery, elite sport, england rugby, england rugby team, fuelling athletes, james morehen, match day nutrition, nutrition for athletes, performance nutrition, post match recovery, professional rugby, rugby nutrition, rugby podcast, rugby preparation, rugby science, six nations, sports nutrition, sports performance, sports science, strength and conditioning
In this episode, Dr. James Morehen, lead performance nutritionist for England Rugby, takes us inside the Six Nations to reveal how elite players are fuelled, recovered, and prepared for peak performance. From halftime gels to post-match sushi, he shares practical insights into the strategies behind one of the world’s toughest tournaments.
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269: Food First, Supplements Second: Performance Nutrition with Tom Coughlin
May 26th, 2025 | 26 mins 51 secs
athlete health, athletic performance, behavioral, caffeine, dietary fundamentals, elite athletes, food first, informed sport, nutrition consulting, nutrition myths, nutrition psychology, nutrition science, olympic athletes, performance nutrition, pre workout, professional sports, rugby nutrition, sports nutrition, sports performance, sports science, supplement safety, supplements
Performance nutrition consultant Tom Coughlin shares expert insights from his decade of experience with Olympic athletes and professional teams, emphasising a "food first" approach while discussing supplement safety and science-backed pre-workout strategies.