Science for Sport Podcast - Episodes Tagged with “Biomechanics”

301: Training for the Unknown: Olympic BMX Freestyle with Brian Roy

Science for Sport — Mon, 05 Jan 2026 06:00:00 +0000

This week on the Science for Sport Podcast, Richard Graves is joined by Brian Roy, a strength and conditioning coach who has spent the past decade working at the sharp end of action and lifestyle sports, including Olympic BMX Freestyle.
BMX Freestyle is still a relative newcomer to the Olympic programme, but its physical demands, injury risks and performance challenges are unlike almost any traditional sport. In this episode, Brian shares his unconventional journey into elite sport, from personal training and postgraduate study to travelling the world with BMX athletes on the global stage.
Together, Richard and Brian explore what it really takes to prepare athletes for a sport defined by explosive power, aerial skill, high-impact landings and constant travel. Brian offers a refreshingly honest perspective on athlete buy-in, bespoke programming, and why traditional strength testing and rigid systems don’t always transfer to non-traditional sports.
This is a fascinating conversation for sports scientists, strength and conditioning coaches, and anyone interested in how performance support adapts when the sport doesn’t fit neatly into a textbook.

In this episode you will learn

The unique physiological and biomechanical demands of BMX Freestyle competition
How to prepare athletes for repeated 60-second, maximal-effort runs across a full competition day
Why traditional strength testing and gym-based metrics don’t always translate to action sports
How Brian adapted training around constant travel, limited gym access, and athlete preferences
Practical strategies for building resilience and reducing injury risk in high-impact sports
Why athlete buy-in often comes from listening, adapting, and being present rather than enforcing systems
How emerging video and motion-analysis technology could shape the future of training in BMX Freestyle and similar sports

About Brian Roy
Brian Roy is a strength and conditioning coach with over 10 years’ experience working in action and lifestyle sports. He holds a Master’s degree in Kinesiology and Exercise Science and is currently undertaking further postgraduate study in Applied Sports Science Analytics.
Brian has worked closely with elite BMX Freestyle athletes on the international stage, including those competing at the Olympic Games, and has developed a reputation for adaptable, athlete-centred training approaches. His work focuses on performance, resilience, and real-world transfer rather than rigid adherence to traditional testing models.
Brian regularly shares insights from his work on LinkedIn and Instagram, where he discusses training philosophy, emerging technology, and lessons learned from working in non-traditional sports environments.

292: How the NFL Uses Sports Science to Build Better Fields

Science for Sport — Mon, 03 Nov 2025 06:00:00 +0000

This week, host Richard Graves welcomes Nick Pappas, Field Director for the NFL, for a fascinating deep dive into the science, technology, and precision that go into preparing elite-level playing surfaces for one of the biggest sports leagues in the world.

From the Super Bowl to international games in London, Germany, and Madrid, Nick shares how data, innovation, and collaboration are driving the future of field management, and how the NFL ensures world-class conditions that protect player safety and optimise performance.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

How the NFL’s field operations team prepares and maintains elite playing surfaces across 32 clubs and international venues
The science behind player safety and surface performance — and how injury data informs turf design
Why the debate between natural and artificial grass isn’t as simple as it seems
How advanced testing tools like BEAST and STRIKE are revolutionising surface analysis
The challenges of delivering perfect fields in unique stadiums like Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and the Santiago Bernabéu in Madrid
How the NFL’s “digital athlete” concept links field data, biomechanics, and player health

About Nick Pappas
Nick Pappas, CSFM, is the Field Director for the National Football League (NFL), overseeing field operations for all major league events, including the Super Bowl, Pro Bowl, and NFL International Games.
With a background in turfgrass science and agronomy, Nick has become one of the foremost experts in professional sports field management. He leads the NFL’s global efforts in surface research, innovation, and player safety, working closely with the NFLPA, engineers, and medical experts to ensure every game is played on a surface that meets the highest standards of safety and performance.

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286: NFL’s Digital Athlete – How Data is Transforming Player Health & Safety

Science for Sport — Mon, 22 Sep 2025 06:00:00 +0100

This week, host Richard Graves is joined by two leading figures driving innovation in sport:

Dr Mackenzie Herzog, VP of Player Health & Safety and Strategic Innovation at the NFL

Julie Souza, Global Head of Sports at Amazon Web Services (AWS)

Together, they explore the groundbreaking NFL Digital Athlete, a data-driven platform reshaping how the league prevents injuries, enhances performance, and safeguards the long-term health of its players.

This episode offers a rare look behind the scenes at how one of the world’s biggest sports organisations is using advanced analytics, computer vision, and machine learning to transform player welfare.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

How the NFL Digital Athlete creates a 360° view of every player by combining wearable, video, and performance data
The role of AWS in processing 500 million+ data points per week to power injury prevention and performance insights
How data modelling led to rule changes like the dynamic kickoff and banning hip-drop tackles to reduce injuries
How computer vision is used to track player pose and limb position to identify mechanisms of injury
How concussion risk has dropped thanks to position-specific helmets and guardian caps
Why player and coach buy-in has been crucial for the success of data-driven safety initiatives
How the Digital Athlete model is now influencing college football, global sport, and even other industries

About Dr Mackenzie Herzog
Dr Mackenzie Herzog is the Vice President of Player Health & Safety and Strategic Innovation at the NFL. She leads the league’s efforts to reduce injuries, improve player health outcomes, and integrate cutting-edge technology and analytics into performance and safety strategies. Mackenzie has overseen the creation and implementation of the NFL Digital Athlete, spearheading collaborations with partners such as AWS to harness data for player health and safety advancements across the league.

About Julie Souza
Julie Souza is the Global Head of Sports at Amazon Web Services (AWS), where she partners with leading sports organisations to leverage cloud technology, machine learning, and data analytics to transform athlete performance, fan engagement, and operational efficiency. Julie has played a pivotal role in AWS’s collaboration with the NFL, powering the Digital Athlete platform and pioneering innovations like next-gen stats, optical tracking, and large-scale injury risk modelling.

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Improve Your Athletes' Performance
Advance Forward In Your Career, Allowing You To Earn More Money And Work With Elite-Level Athletes
Save Yourself The Stress & Worry Of Constantly Trying To Stay Up-To-Date With Sports Science Research

214: Designing The Perfect Sport Scientist

Science for Sport — Mon, 06 May 2024 09:00:00 +0100

In episode 214 Harry Routledge, High Performance Practitioner, joins us.

Specifically Harry will be looking at:

What Sport Scientists do
The skills and qualifications needed
Specialists vs generalists
How to develop your skills

About Harry :

"I am an experience High Performance Practitioner, having worked in the USA, Australia and the UK. I have held positions such as Head of Performance and Head of Sport Science and strive to utilise an evidence based approach to enhance athletic performance."

Twitter - @H_Routledge
Linkedin - www.linkedin.com/in/harry-routledge-phd-42a38052/

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162: How You Can Replicate World Champion Athletes By Using Elite-Level Biomechanics

Science for Sport — Mon, 08 May 2023 02:00:00 +0100

In episode 162, Ina Janssen, Sport Biomechanist at TeamNL Centrum Papendal, joins us.

Specifically Ina will be looking at:

Why biomechanics are important
How athletes use biomechanics to improve performance
How you can use biomechanics to improve performance on a budget

About Ina:

"An applied sports scientist with extensive experience with various elite sports to
deliver bespoke testing focused on improving performance and reducing injury risk. Passionate about supporting and promoting female athletes and scientists."

Twitter: