In this episode of Beyond Sets and Reps, I sit down with Coach Jamie Wynn, someone I've known for more than 20 years. Jamie's path has taken her from growing up in a military family to competing as a Division I thrower at Missouri while serving in the Missouri Army National Guard. We talk about what it took to balance athletics, academics and military responsibilities, and how those experiences taught her to communicate, plan ahead and find solutions when there were competing demands.

We also go back to our time together at Missouri and the coaches, teammates and environments that helped shape both of us. Jamie shares what she learned from competing alongside elite athletes, transitioning out of her own athletic career and eventually finding her way into strength and conditioning. Her early career took her from an internship at Missouri to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Westside Barbell, Iowa and eventually UNLV. Through all of those stops, Jamie kept finding people to learn from and experiences that challenged her to grow as a coach and as a person.

Thanks to our podcast sponsors, Sorinex and EliteForm, for making these episodes possible.

In part two of our conversation with Dr. Catherine Saenz, we pick up by discussing how professionals can work within different team cultures and bring their expertise into an environment without immediately trying to take over. Catherine, Ted, Ernie, and I discuss collaboration, consulting, and why sometimes one of the smartest things you can do is give people space, learn how the organization operates, and understand what the athletes and staff actually need before offering solutions. We also get into the role of health and performance teams and how a multidisciplinary structure can help protect athletes when coaching practices cross the line from demanding to potentially harmful.

From there, we spend much of the episode discussing female athlete physiology, menstrual cycles, performance, and the major gaps that still exist in the research. Dr. Saenz explains why we need more than simple conclusions about what should happen during a textbook 28-day cycle, because real athletes and real menstrual cycles are far more variable than that. We discuss ACL injury questions, athlete-reported experiences, the need for better research funding, and the importance of creating environments where female athletes can openly communicate what they are experiencing. We also look at the bigger opportunity for exercise physiology in collegiate and professional sport and why bringing more physiology expertise into the performance team could help us ask better questions, collect better information, and ultimately serve athletes better.

Shout out to our podcast sponsors, Sorinex and EliteForm, for making these episodes possible

In this episode of Research 2 Reps, we're joined by Dr. Catherine Saenz for a conversation that starts with her path through exercise science, nutrition, research, professional baseball, and academia. Dr. Saenz has built a career at the intersection of several disciplines, and we talk about how that background shapes her view of athlete health and performance. From her early research experiences at Maryland to her graduate work at UConn and Ohio State, she shares how her curiosity about performance nutrition eventually expanded into a much bigger picture of how training, nutrition, recovery, and physiology work together.

We also spend a good part of the conversation digging into ketogenic diets and what the research actually tells us about using them with athletes. Catherine explains why no single sport or athlete is automatically a good fit, and why the individual, the timing, and the reason for using a particular dietary approach all matter. From elite ultra-endurance athletes using carbohydrates during competition to the differences between nutritional ketosis and ketone supplements, this conversation is a good reminder that performance decisions rarely happen in isolation. We close out this first part by talking about something that matters just as much as the science: learning how to listen, communicate, and work effectively within a multidisciplinary performance team.

Thanks to our podcast sponsors, Sorinex and EliteForm, for making these episodes possible

This week, I'm sharing a conversation I originally had as a guest on the Voodoo Power Podcast with Steve Thompson. We sat down to talk about the lessons that have shaped my coaching philosophy over the past two decades and why I believe the best performance programs are built on much more than strength training alone. We explored the value of chasing small advantages, building high-performing staffs, creating a culture of continuous learning, and developing athletes as complete people rather than simply better competitors. I also shared the experiences that helped shape the systems I use today and the principles that continue to guide my leadership.

Steve asked thoughtful questions that allowed us to dig into what it takes to build trust, develop resilient athletes and coaches, and create environments where people can reach their full potential. From mentoring young professionals and helping athletes prepare for life after sports to leading multidisciplinary performance teams, I shared why communication, collaboration, and genuine care remain at the center of everything I do. Whether you're a coach, administrator, leader, or someone committed to personal growth, I hope this conversation gives you practical ideas and a renewed perspective on what it really takes to build champions.

Thanks to our podcast sponsors, Sorinex and EliteForm, for making these episodes possible

In this episode of Beyond Sets & Reps, I sat down with Becca Grizzard to discuss her unique journey into the strength and conditioning profession. Becca's path was anything but traditional. From pursuing veterinary medicine and working in animal research to creating her own graduate assistant opportunity and eventually becoming a collegiate strength coach, her story is a powerful reminder that careers are rarely linear. We talked about the value of taking initiative, creating opportunities when they do not exist, and being willing to pivot when life points you in a new direction.

We also explored how Becca's experiences living abroad shaped her approach to coaching and ultimately led to her research focus on international student-athletes as a PhD candidate. Throughout our conversation, she shared insights on mentorship, networking, coaching philosophy, and the importance of genuinely caring about the people you serve. Whether you're a young coach looking to break into the profession, a student preparing for your next opportunity, or a leader seeking to make a greater impact, this episode offers practical lessons on resilience, adaptability, and taking ownership of your growth.

Thanks to our podcast sponsors, Sorinex and EliteForm, for making these episodes possible.

In Part 2, our conversation shifts toward leadership, organizational design, and what it takes to build high performing teams in today's rapidly evolving sports environment. Dave explains why rigid job descriptions can sometimes limit innovation, how organizations can identify gaps in expertise, and why leaders should continually evaluate and refine the systems they use. He also shares his personal philosophy of regularly replacing a portion of established practices in pursuit of continuous improvement.

We dive into the key leadership competencies identified through his doctoral research, including relationship building, strategic thinking, performance facilitation, and quality control. Dave also introduces a thought-provoking framework that places leaders on a continuum between being a "doer" and a "builder." Whether you're leading a department, coaching athletes, or managing a staff, this discussion provides valuable lessons on creating alignment, developing people, and building organizations that can adapt and thrive in a constantly changing environment.

Thanks to podcast sponsors, Sorinex and EliteForm, for making these episodes possible.

In this episode, we sit down with Dr. David Tenney, one of the pioneers of sports science and high performance leadership in North America. Tenney shares how his career evolved from practitioner to leader and why he became interested in studying the leadership competencies required to manage modern high performance teams. We discuss the changing landscape of professional sports, the growing complexity of performance departments, and the challenges that come with coordinating specialists across performance, medical, analytics, and coaching roles.

We also explore the realities of managing external stakeholders, including agents, physicians, and families, and why communication and relationship building have become essential leadership skills. David offers practical insights on hiring the right people, developing collaborative environments, and creating multidisciplinary teams that move beyond simply working alongside one another to truly integrating their expertise in ways that improve athlete outcomes.

A huge thanks to podcast sponsors, Sorinex and EliteForm, for making these episodes possible.

In the second half of this conversation, Katie Guillory shares a side of performance that has nothing to do with programming and everything to do with perspective. She opens up about a period where she had to step away from coaching completely after hitting a low point mentally, and how that decision ultimately changed the trajectory of her life. What followed was a series of events she couldn't have planned, including an experience at Winter Strong that would later play a role in helping save her life during a traumatic accident. This part of the conversation shifts from coaching to survival, and what it takes to stay composed and make decisions when everything is on the line.

We also get into how she's rebuilt her life and identity after losing part of her leg, and what daily performance looks like now. Every decision, every movement, every part of her routine is intentional and calculated. She shares the mindset that carried her through the accident and continues to guide her today, focusing on truth over feelings and staying locked into what's in front of her. This isn't about motivation. It's about clarity, ownership, and choosing how to respond when life forces you into a situation you never saw coming.

Thanks to our podcast sponsors, Sorinex and EliteForm, for making these episodes possible.

In this episode, I sit down with Coach Katie Guillory from LSU, and right away you understand this isn't just a conversation about performance. Katie shares her journey from being a relentless competitor at LSU to now coaching at the highest level, and the path in between wasn't clean or easy. Multiple knee injuries, constant setbacks, and the reality of fighting to find her role shaped how she approaches performance today. She didn't always get the outcomes she wanted as an athlete, but she learned how to control what she could, show up for her team, and bring energy every single day. That mindset shows up in everything she does now as a coach.

What makes this conversation hit differently is the perspective she brings after losing part of her leg in a jet ski accident and continuing to coach in one of the most physically demanding environments in sports. We talk about what it really means to lead, how energy sets the tone before you ever say a word, and why standards matter if you want to compete at an elite level. This isn't theory. It's lived experience. If you care about building real performance, it starts with how you show up, how you communicate, and the environment you create every single day.

Thanks to our podcast sponsors, Sorinex and EliteForm, for making these episodes possible.

In part two of this Research to Reps Roundtable conversation, we got practical and broke down what neck training actually looks like. Mike Jolly walked us through the fundamental Iron Neck exercises and explained why multi-planar movement, full ranges of motion, and neuromuscular control matter so much more than just loading the neck in one straight line. What stood out to me was the bigger principle underneath all of it: the neck is not fragile, and training it well is about preparing it to handle the demands of sport, life, and unexpected force from every angle. We also talked about common myths around neck training, why control matters just as much as strength, and how this work applies well beyond football to golf, baseball, motorsports, and any environment where posture, vision, reaction, and head stability all influence performance.

We also spent time on the rehab and recovery side, which is where this conversation got even more interesting. Mike shared how athletic trainers, physical therapists, and sports medicine professionals are using Iron Neck not only after neck injuries, but also as part of concussion rehab and return-to-play progressions. That led us back to the deeper reason behind his work: protecting brains, especially in younger athletes whose brains are even more vulnerable to long-term damage. As I listened, I kept coming back to the responsibility we have as coaches, practitioners, and leaders to look deeper, question the easy answers, and train the body in ways that truly prepare people for what sport and life demand. This part of the conversation was a strong reminder that neck training is not a niche add-on. It is an important piece of resilience, recovery, and long-term athlete health.

Shoutout to our podcast sponsors, Sorinex and EliteForm, for making these episodes possible.

In this Research to Reps Roundtable conversation, I sat down with Dr. Ernie Reimer, Coach Adam Davis, and Mike Jolly, founder of Iron Neck, to dig into a topic that deserves a lot more attention in performance training: neck strength. We unpacked Mike's personal motivation for creating Iron Neck after watching former teammates suffer from the long-term effects of brain injury, and we explored the research-based connection between neck strength, multi-planar control, and reducing the forces that contribute to concussions. What stood out in this discussion is that neck training is not just about collision sports or football players. It matters for soccer athletes, tactical populations, drivers, pilots, and really anyone whose performance depends on posture, head control, and the ability to manage force effectively.

We also went beyond concussion prevention and got into the broader performance and quality-of-life applications of neck training. Coach Davis shared insights from decades of coaching athletes across levels, including how posture, range of motion, and control all influence resilience and function. Mike explained why so many people now turn to Iron Neck not only for performance but also for chronic neck pain tied to poor posture and "tech neck." I also shared my own experience from a serious motorcycle crash and why I believe neck strength and motor control played a real role in protecting me when it mattered most. This episode is a reminder that strength is not just about lifting more weight. It is about building the kind of durability, awareness, and neuromuscular control that shows up when life or sport puts you in a high-stakes moment.

Shoutout to our podcast sponsors, Sorinex and EliteForm, for making these episodes possible.