Science for Sport Podcast
Behind the Scenes of Elite Performance – Unlocking the Science, Stories, and Strategies That Make the Best Even Better
Displaying items 1-10 of 16 in total of Science for Sport Podcast with the tag "high performance".
-
313: Building Durability in Action Sports with Ryan Blake
March 30th, 2026 | 30 mins 8 secs
action sports, action sports science, adventure sports, ai in sport, athlete preparation, athletic durability, british water ski and wakeboard, elite sport, extreme sports, extreme sports performance, fatigue management, freestyle sports, high performance, injury prevention, jump testing, long term athletic development, ltad, olympic sports, performance coaching, periodisation, readiness monitoring, ryan blake, science for sport, snowboarding, sports coaching, sports performance, sports science, sports technology, strength and conditioning, vbt, velocity based training, x games, youth strength and conditioning
Ryan Blake, founder of Extreme Sports Performance and performance consultant for British Water Ski and Wakeboard, joins Richard Graves to make the case for a completely different approach to athlete preparation in action sports. Drawing on over 20 years of experience across elite sport and education, Ryan explains why durability, not peak output, is the real target in disciplines defined by unpredictability, variable terrain, and repeated decision-making under fatigue. He walks through his Restore, Apply, Own framework, the role of technology in bridging the gap between training and competition, and why the explosive growth of the X Games League and Olympic action sports makes this one of the most exciting frontiers in performance science right now.
-
309: Building Smarter Performance Systems with Emily Jacobson
March 2nd, 2026 | 31 mins 33 secs
acl rehabilitation, acute chronic workload ratio, applied sport science, athlete monitoring, catapult sports, collegiate athletics, data visualisation, gps tracking, high performance, load monitoring, ncaa, performance analytics, performance coaching, power bi, return to play, sports science, strength and conditioning, u.s. soccer, velocity based training, women’s sport research
Emily Jacobson shares how she has built a simplified, collaborative and athlete-centred sports science model at Marquette University. The episode explores workload monitoring, return-to-play systems, data visualisation, and the importance of humility and communication in applied performance environments. A practical discussion for elite practitioners seeking to turn complex data into meaningful impact.
-
307: Performance Science in AFL and NRL with Brendan Fahrner
February 16th, 2026 | 27 mins 30 secs
afl, athlete buy-in, athlete monitoring, coaching science, elite sport, gps tracking, high performance, injury risk management, nrl, performance analytics, performance culture, performance leadership, practitioner wellbeing, rugby league, sports data, sports science, sports technology, strength and conditioning, team sport science
Brendan Fahrner reflects on a career spanning premiership-winning AFL environments and the NRL, sharing why trust, clarity and relationship-building matter more than complex analytics. He explains how simplifying data, aligning with coaching philosophy, and focusing on athlete-centred systems can create meaningful performance impact. A grounded discussion for practitioners navigating modern high-performance sport.
-
300: Training Through Disruption: Managing Load, Time, and Performance in Winter with Michael Fennell
December 29th, 2025 | 26 mins 34 secs
applied sports science, athlete preparation, athletic development, elite sport, high performance, performance coaching, plyometrics, speed training, sports science, sprint performance, strength and conditioning, track and field, training load management, winter training
Michael Fennell joins Richard Graves to unpack how elite athletes and coaches should approach winter training, focusing on maintaining performance, avoiding early peaks, and prioritising fundamentals during a disrupted December. Drawing on experience across athletics and team sports, the episode explores micro-sessions, plyometrics, and why context and coaching judgement still matter in an age of data.
-
297: Finding the Competitive Edge: Elite Performance with FC Midtjylland’s Niklas Virtanen
December 8th, 2025 | 26 mins 24 secs
applied sports science, athlete monitoring, catapult, coaching science, data analytics, elite coaching, elite sport, fc midtjylland, football analytics, football performance, football science, gps tracking, high performance, high-speed running, inertial data, injury risk, load monitoring, match preparation, micro-actions, performance coaching, performance data, performance optimisation, player development, scandinavian football, set piece analysis, sports physiology, sports science, sports technology, talent development, trackman
This episode explores how FC Midtjylland punch above their weight using advanced data, inertial tracking, and smart performance processes. Niklas Virtanen reveals how he blends science, coaching, and communication to drive elite on-pitch results.
-
296: The Mental Game: What Athletes Really Carry with Them
December 1st, 2025 | 27 mins 36 secs
athlete support, athlete welfare, athlete wellbeing, british basketball, elite sport, high performance, kofi josephs, mental health, performance psychology, preventative mental health, psychology in sport, richard graves, science for sport, sport, sports science, whynoti
Former GB basketball player Kofi Josephs joins Richard Graves to share his powerful journey through elite sport, opening up about injury, pressure, mental health, and the reality behind performance. He also reveals how his platform WhyNotI is helping teams take a preventative, data-driven approach to athlete wellbeing.
-
291: Managing Workload and Performance in the NHL
October 27th, 2025 | 31 mins 39 secs
ai in sport, applied research, athlete monitoring, catapult, coaching, data analytics, high performance, ice hockey, load management, new jersey devils, nhl, performance analysis, phd research, recovery, return to play, sports data, sports science, sports technology, strength and conditioning, workload management
In this episode, New Jersey Devils Sports Scientist Steven Nightingale joins host Richard Graves to discuss how data, workload management, and recovery strategies are applied in the NHL’s demanding 82-game season. He shares insights from his global career and PhD research, revealing how science and practical experience combine to keep athletes performing at their best.
-
290: Rewiring Performance: The Neuroscience Behind Mindset and Recovery
October 20th, 2025 | 32 mins 7 secs
athlete development, born superhuman, brain training, chatgpt said: mindset, coaching, dan metcalfe, elite performance, high performance, human potential, leadership, mental training, motivation, neuroscience, performance psychology, recovery, rehabilitation, resilience, richard graves, science for sport podcast, sports science
In this episode, performance coach Dan Metcalfe joins host Richard Graves to discuss the neuroscience of mindset, recovery, and human potential. Drawing on his remarkable journey from paralysis to coaching elite athletes, Dan explores how belief, brain training, and resilience shape performance at every level.
-
287: Data With Purpose: How the Houston Texans Use Sports Science to Drive Performance
September 29th, 2025 | 42 mins 20 secs
applied sports science, artificial intelligence in sport, athlete monitoring, athlete recovery, collaboration in sport, data-driven decision making, exercise physiology, high performance, houston texans, marc lewis, nfl, performance science, research to practice, sports analytics, sports science, sports technology, strength and conditioning, subjective monitoring
In this episode, Houston Texans Director of Applied Sports Science Marc Lewis shares his journey from the U.S. Army to the NFL, highlighting how discipline, research, and collaboration shaped his career. He explains how effective systems, clear communication, and purposeful data collection drive athlete performance and decision-making in high-performance environments.
-
285: Ellie Wilson: Inside the High-Performance World of Women’s Football
September 15th, 2025 | 35 mins 28 secs
acl recovery, athlete development, athlete mindset, elite sport, ellie wilson, england youth teams, high performance, injury rehabilitation, melbourne victory, performance psychology, player welfare, sports science, strength and conditioning, talent pathways, women’s football
Professional footballer Ellie Wilson joins host Richard Graves to share her journey through elite women’s football — from academy rejection and England youth caps to overcoming a 13-month ACL injury and helping Melbourne Victory break club records. She offers powerful insights into the demands, psychology, and support systems needed to thrive in high-performance sport.