Science for Sport Podcast

Creatine is now one of the most widely used and well-researched supplements in elite sport — but few people know the story of how it first made its way into Olympic performance programmes. In this episode of the Science for Sport Podcast, Richard Graves sits down with Steven Jennings, one of the key figures behind the early adoption of creatine in elite sport, to unpack a remarkable story that beg...

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 tradit...

In this episode of the Science for Sport Podcast, host Richard Graves welcomes back Michael Fennell for a deep dive into one of the most misunderstood periods of the performance calendar: winter training. With the competitive season behind us and Christmas disruptions in full swing, Michael shares a practical, experience-led perspective on how elite athletes and practitioners should approach Decem...

The festive period can be one of the most challenging times of the year for athletes and practitioners trying to balance performance, recovery, wellbeing and real life. In this episode of the Science for Sport Podcast, host Richard Graves welcomes Dan Richardson back to the show to tackle one of the most relevant (and misunderstood) topics in elite sport: how to manage nutrition, fuelling and hydr...

This week, Richard Graves sits down with Lew Porchiazzo, Assistant Director for Strength & Conditioning for Olympic Sports at the University of Michigan. Lew brings more than 16 years of experience at one of the most successful athletic departments in the NCAA. His journey from a Division III football lineman to a leader shaping the development of athletes in softball, gymnastics, men’s soccer...

This week, host Richard Graves sits down with one of the most energetic and thought-provoking voices in modern performance: Niklas Virtanen, Head of Sports Science at FC Midtjylland. If you’ve ever wondered how a club without the financial muscle of Europe’s giants consistently outperforms bigger teams, beating Nottingham Forest away, winning at Celtic, and challenging at the top of the Danish Sup...

This week, host Richard Graves sits down with former Great Britain and England international basketball player Kofi Josephs, an athlete whose journey through elite sport has been anything but ordinary. From growing up in Birmingham to playing in front of Michael Jordan at the Jordan Brand Classic, suffering two major hip surgeries in the US collegiate system, becoming the British Basketball League...

This week, host Richard Graves sits down with Charlie Binns, Lead Nutritionist for the England men’s cricket team, fresh from Perth as preparations ramp up for the Ashes. Charlie lifts the lid on what elite fuelling actually looks like across five-day Tests, why recovery is an arms race, and how his team builds simple, repeatable habits the players will actually use, from colour-coded carb periodi...

This week on the Science for Sport podcast, host Richard Graves is joined by boxing legend Johnny Nelson MBE, the longest-reigning cruiserweight world champion in history. With a story that spans early losses, a transformative mentorship under Brendan Ingle, mental resilience, structural discipline, and elite-level performance, Johnny offers a rare window into the mindset and preparation of a worl...

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...

This week, host Richard Graves welcomes Steven Nightingale, Sports Scientist with the New Jersey Devils (NHL), to explore the realities of managing workload, performance, and recovery in one of the world’s most demanding sporting environments. From starting out in Peterborough to working in China, Russia, and now in the NHL, Steve shares his fascinating journey through elite sport, and how data, e...

This week on the Science for Sport Podcast, host Richard Graves is joined by Dan Metcalfe, former youth footballer, West End performer, Olympic development coach, and now international keynote speaker and founder of Born Superhuman. Dan’s story is nothing short of extraordinary. From a career-ending accident that left him paralysed and blind in one eye, to rebuilding his life, defying medical diag...

This week, host Richard Graves welcomes David Mead, former professional rugby league star turned business leader, to discuss one of the most challenging transitions in sport, life after professional competition. Over a 14-year professional career, David represented the Gold Coast Titans, Brisbane Broncos, and Catalan Dragons, as well as Papua New Guinea on the international stage. Today, he channe...

This week on the Science for Sport Podcast, host Richard Graves is joined by Stuart Yule, Head of Physical Performance with the Scotland national rugby team. Stuart’s career has spanned elite roles in football, hockey, and judo, before moving into rugby where he’s been a driving force behind Glasgow Warriors’ success and Scotland’s rise on the international stage. Drawing on his unique background...

This week on the Science for Sport Podcast, host Richard Graves is joined by Marc Lewis, Director of Applied Sports Science at the Houston Texans. Marc’s journey is anything but conventional. From a childhood in foster care, to serving as an airborne infantry soldier in the U.S. Army, to becoming one of the leading voices in applied sports science in the NFL. He shares how his military discipline...

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, a...

This week, host Richard Graves is joined by Ellie Wilson, a professional footballer who has played for Reading, Bristol City, Sheffield United, Wolves, and most recently Melbourne Victory in Australia’s A-League Women. Ellie opens up about her journey through elite football, from being rejected by academies as a young player, to representing England U19s, U20s and U23s, battling an ACL injury, and...

Club Plans & Personal Coaches: Adding An Edge? In this week’s episode, host Richard Graves sits down with Daniel Booth, a performance coach who’s worked inside elite teams (Watford FC, Ealing Trailfinders), across Olympic sprint programmes, and independently with top athletes, to unpack one of the hottest debates in high performance: Should athletes stick strictly to club schedules, or can per...

This week on the Science for Sport Podcast, host Richard Graves sits down with Nathan Spencer, Strength & Power Coach at the St. George Illawarra Dragons and former NBA Performance Coach with the Orlando Magic. With over 15 years in high-performance sport, Nathan shares his unique journey from the pathways of Australian rugby league to the courts of the NBA, and now back to the NRL. The conver...

This week on the Science for Sport Podcast, host Richard Graves sits down with Jacob Rothman, founder of Perch and now Head of Strength at Catapult, to explore how camera-based, AI-driven technology is changing strength and conditioning, velocity-based training, and athlete monitoring in elite sport. Jacob shares the journey from an MIT startup to being trusted by pro teams, collegiate programs, a...

This week on the Science for Sport Podcast, host Richard Graves sits down with former NFL star turned MMA promoter Shawne “Lights Out” Merriman, a man who’s gone from sacking quarterbacks to shaking up the fight game. Known for his explosive NFL career with the San Diego Chargers and Buffalo Bills, Merriman has successfully transitioned into the world of Mixed Martial Arts with his promotion Light...

In this week’s episode of the Science for Sport Podcast, host Richard Graves welcomes Luke Harris, the Head of Strength & Conditioning and Sports Science at Adelaide United Football Club. Luke shares his insights on managing multiple teams, the challenges of balancing youth and women’s football, and how he integrates cutting-edge science to drive player development. With a career spanning seve...

This week, host Richard Graves is joined by Steve McNamara, one of Rugby League’s most experienced and respected minds. With a career spanning over 36 years across playing and coaching, Steve has done it all, captaining Hull FC, coaching England at a home World Cup, and leading Catalans Dragons to their first major silverware. From working on Hull’s fish docks to standing on the touchline at Wembl...

What does fuelling a Premier League footballer really look like? This week, we’re joined by Ted Munson, Brentford FC’s Lead Performance Nutritionist, whose journey has taken him through elite-level roles across football, rugby, Formula 1, and even international tournaments with Denmark’s national team. From managing nutrition for matchday prep and recovery to adapting for individual player needs,...

This week, Richard Graves is joined by returning guest Andrew Hyde, a leading strength and conditioning coach and founder of Aesthetic Athletes, who works with elite and youth footballers across the UK. With professional clubs identifying talent as young as six, and social media raising the stakes for young athletes, is youth football facing a crisis? Or just a complex new challenge? In this hones...