Inform Performance

Episode 74: Andy McDonald  chats to Sean Smith a Performance Coach at the University of Louisville. Sean heads up the internship program at Louisville so in this conversation both he and Andy discuss how he runs and organises coach development at the University.    In this episode Andy and Sean discuss:   Sean's background  Strength & Conditioning Internships Understanding the demands of sport Cod...

Episode 73: Ben Ashworth chats to Véronique Richard a Mental Performance Consultant for Cirque du Soleil. Véronique has also worked for the INS Quebec, Water Polo Canada, and many other elite organisations. Véronique has a Ph. D in sport sciences and her applied expertise is in performance psychology. Through risk friendly environments to encourage people to navigate through discomfort and grow ps...

Episode 72: Andy McDonald  chats to Nic Gill the All Blacks Strength & Conditioning Coach. Nic has been with the New Zealand Rugby Union / All Blacks for 13 years and is also an Associate Professor of Human Performance at the University of Waikato. In this episode Andy and Nic will cover coaching reflections, Nic's role at the All Blacks and his philosophies around coaching and performance.      I...

Episode 71: Andy McDonald  chats to Ian Gatt  the GB Boxing Head of Performance Services. Ian is an experienced sports Physio with a background working for the EIS prior to boxing as well as lecturing at Sheffield Hallam University and UCL. In this episode Ian provides insights into the sports science and sports medicine workings of elite boxing.      In this episode Andy and Ian discuss:    Ian’s...

Episode 70: Andy McDonald  & Ben Ashworth chat to Clive Brewer for a part-2 conversation following the part-1 we recorded for episode 65. Clive is a Performance Specialist in Applied sports science, strength and conditioning and integrated sports medicine. Clive has a wealth of experience delivering high performance programs over a 20+ year career applying evidence-informed practise in elite sport...

Episode 69: Following the Inform Performance X Elite Baseball Development Podcast Swapcast last week, this week  Eric Cressey  is the guest on the Inform Performances podcast. In this episode both Andy McDonald and Ben Ashworth ask Eric the questions as the second edition of a two part series. Eric is one of the best know S&C coaches globally, he’s the president and co-founder of Cressey Sports Pe...

Episode 68: Inform Performance X Elite Baseball Development Podcast Swapcast. In this episode Eric Cressey chats to Inform Performances own Ben Ashworth the Director of Performance for AC Sparta Prague and Director of the Athletic Shoulder. Eric is one of the best know S&C coaches globally, he’s the president and co-founder of Cressey Sports Performance and the current Director of Player Health &...

Episode 67: Andy McDonald chats to Jesse Green the Sacramento Kings Head of Sport Science. Jesse is an experienced practitioner who before taking on the head role at the Kings was a Performance Analyst for the team. Prior to working in the NBA Jesse worked at both University of Louisville Athletics and also the Brisbane Lions AFL team back home in Australia.      In this episode Andy & Jesse discu...

Episode 66: Andy McDonald hosts Ben Ashworth , Stig Andersson, Martin Asker & Fredrik Johansson to close the Inform Performance European Shoulder Series. All of the panelists for this discussion all recently recorded episodes with Ben leading into this group conversation.     In this episode Andy & the panel discuss:   Biggest challenges working with shoulders Objective tests depending on sport Ve...

Episode 65: Andy McDonald chats to Clive Brewer a Performance Specialist in Applied sports science, strength and conditioning and integrated sports medicine. Clive has a wealth of experience delivering high performance programs over a 20+ year career applying evidence-informed practise in elite sports. Clive has enjoyed multiple roles in the UK and more recently stateside at the Toronto Blue Jays...

Episode 64: Ben Ashworth chats to Dr Martin Asker the Director of Handball Research Group at Sophiahemmet University. Martin is a Clinician, lecturer and PhD in sports medicine epidemiology who is specialized in shoulder injury rehab & prevention. This episode is a part of the Inform Performance European shoulder series.      In this episode Ben & Martin discuss:    Martins background Common throw...

Episode 63: Andy McDonald chats to Daniel Greenwood a skill acquisition specialist from the University of Memphis. Daniel is currently Director of the Human Performance Center at the University of Memphis, but was previously a Senior Scientist at the Australian Institute of Sport, Singapore Sports Council and Queensland Academy of Sport. Daniel has over a decade of international applied sport scie...

Episode 62: Ben Ashworth chats to Stig Andersson a Physiotherapist, PhD. Clinician, lecturer and researcher. Stig works at the Norwegian Institute of Sports medicine in Oslo with an interest in the prevention and rehabilitation of shoulder injuries in overhead athletes. This episode is a part of the Inform Performance European shoulder series.      In this episode Ben and Stig discuss:    Stig’s b...

Episode 61: Ben Ashworth chats to Dr Fredrik Johansson from Soffiahemmet University Musculoskeletal & Sports Injury Epidemiology Center  & the Tennis Research and Performance Group. Freddy as you’ll hear has a background and special interest on the shoulder so who better to interview or chat to him than inform Performances own Mr Ben Ashworth.      In this episode Ben and Fredrik Johansson discuss...

Episode 60: Ben Ashworth chats to Paudie Roche the lead S&C for the under 23's and under 18's at Arsenal. Paudi has a wealth of experience and before moving to Arsenal in 2013, Paudie worked with the Irish National rugby union team, Munster Rugby and also with University College Cork. He was also crowned Coach of the Year (Youth Sport) by the UKSCA in 2015. In this episode Paudie and Ben discuss L...

Episode 59: Andy McDonald chats to Strength & Conditioning Coach and educator Chris Tombs . Chris's expertise lies in both rugby and cricket where he has worked in Elite sport for the last 16 years. He is best known for the physical development of some of Welsh rugby’s highest profile current players. Since we last spoke Chris has been the performance lead for Seattle Seawolves rugby in the MLR an...

Episode 58: Ben Ashworth hosts his first episode of Inform Performance. On this episode Ben chats to Dr David Opar the Director of the Sports Performance, Recovery, Injury and New Technologies (SPRINT) Research Centre at Australian Catholic University. David completed his undergraduate degree in Human Movement at RMIT University in 2008. He commenced his doctoral thesis (PhD) in the area of hamstr...

Episode 57:  Andy McDonald  chats to Tom Farrow a Physical Performance Specialist who is the Founder & Co-Director of Areté Performance . Until August, when the programme was unfortunately cut due to losing funding, he was the Head of Physical Performance for England & Team GB 7s Men’s teams. Tom was also a Contact Skills Specialist with the Men’s 7s programme and has worked in this capacity with...

Episode 56:  Andy McDonald  chats Jesse Elis the Director of Health and Performance at the Portland Trail Blazers NBA team. Jesse is a PT with a background in professional tennis in the WTA and was formerly the Director of Physical Therapy at EXOS. In addition to this he is also the co-owner of Phoenix Manual Therapy. This conversation with Jesse is focused around communication, collaboration and...

Episode 55:  Andy McDonald  chats to Sérgio T Fonseca. Sérgio is from a clinical background originally and currently works at the Department of Physical Therapy of the University Federal de Minas Gerais, Brazil. Sérgio teaches and advises in the areas of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Sciences. His main research focus is on human movement, applying concepts of ecological approach and dynamica...

Episode 54:  Andy McDonald  chats to Mike Friday USA Rugby Mens 7's Head Coach. Mike began his sporting career as a player transitioning from the amateur rugby years into the professional era, before becoming renowned as a coach. He has enjoyed multiple coaching roles across the UK, Kenya and more recently USA. In this episode with Mike we will discuss his journey from player to coach and pick out...

Episode 53:  Andy McDonald  chats to Jarrod Antflick a Consultant Sports Physiotherapist in elite sport. Jarrod is the founder of Total Performance and has been working in elite sport for over 15 years as a consultant Sports Physiotherapist. His work resides in the UK consulting to teams in the English Premiere League and Premiership Rugby, and to NBA teams in the USA. Jarrrod also works as consul...

Episode 52:  Andy McDonald  chats to James Moore the Co-Founder of the Health Development & Performance Network (HDPN). James also currently holds the position of Clinical Director of Sports & Exercise Medicine at the Centre for Health & Human Performance (CHHP). One of the highlights of James’ career, to date, was to be awarded the Deputy Chef de Mission Performance Service for Team GB at the Rio...

Episode 51:  Andy McDonald  chats to Mick Hughes a Physiotherapist and Exercise Physiologist who consults at The Melbourne Sports Medicine Centre, Collins St Melbourne. During his Physio career Mick has worked with elite junior sporting teams such as the NQ Cowboys U20s rugby league team and the Newcastle Jets National Youth League and Emerging Jets Academy soccer teams. In this episode Andy and M...

Episode 50:  Andy McDonald  chats to Nick Winkelman the head of athletic performance & science for the Irish Rugby Football Union. His primary role is to oversee the delivery and development of strength & conditioning and sports science across all national (Men's and Women's XV’s and 7’s) and provincial teams (Leinster, Munster, Connacht, and Ulster). Nick was previously the director of education...