Episode 166: In this episode of the Informed Performance Podcast we sit down with Mike Robertson—one of the most sought-after coaches, consultants, and educators in the fitness industry. Known for his “no-nonsense” approach to coaching, Mike has worked with elite athletes across all major sports, with a special focus on basketball. As President of Robertson Training Systems and co-owner of the award-winning Indianapolis Fitness and Sports Training (IFAST), Mike has redefined how athletes train and coaches evolve.

✏️Topics Discussed
▪️ The Evolution of Coaching and Education in Modern Fitness
▪️ Understanding Non-Centralized Multidisciplinary Teams (MDT)
▪️ The Role of Geography in Shaping Athlete Training Strategies
▪️ How to Create a Unique and Impactful Training Experience

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Where you can find Mike:

•⁠  ⁠Instagram

•⁠  Youtube

•⁠  LinkedIn

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Sponsors

VALD: makers of the Nordbord, Forceframe, ForeDecks and HumanTrak. VALD Performance systems are built with the high-performance practitioner in mind, translating traditionally lab-based technologies into engaging, quick, easy-to-use tools for daily testing, monitoring and training.

Hytro: The world’s leading Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) wearable, designed to accelerate recovery and maximise athletic potential using Hytro BFR for Professional Sport.

Teambuildr: A platform for any coach in any setting. Every day, thousands of coaches log into TeamBuildr to write training programs, build questionnaires and access athlete and client performance data. Teambuildr is a complete platform. Whether you're building your own programming, looking to create custom reports or give athletes a tool for accountability, they've built it out.

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Where to Find Us

Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following Inform Performance on:

• Instagram
• Twitter
• Our Website

-

Our Team

• Andy McDonald
• Ben Ashworth
• Alistair McKenzie
• Dylan Carmody
• Steve Barrett 
• Pete McKnight

Episode 165: In this episode of the Sports Science Insights Podcast powered by Informed Performance, Dr. Michael King, a Lecturer in Sports Science at the University of Glasgow and Physical Performance Coach at the Scottish FA, shares his unique perspective at the intersection of academia and applied practice. With a PhD focused on talent identification in youth players, Michael discusses the evolution of talent development, the challenges of sport science education, and his contributions to advancing the field through initiatives like the UEFA fitness courses and the World Congress of Science and Soccer.

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✏️Topics Discussed

•  Michael’s Journey in Sport Science
• Academic vs. Applied Practice in Sport Science
• Talent ID Strategies in Scottish FA Performance Schools
• Innovations in Sport Science Education: UEFA Fitness Courses
• Insights on Organizing the World Congress of Science and Soccer

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Where you can find Mike:

•⁠  ⁠ResearchGate

•⁠  X/Twitter

•⁠  LinkedIn

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Sponsors

VALD: makers of the Nordbord, Forceframe, ForeDecks and HumanTrak. VALD Performance systems are built with the high-performance practitioner in mind, translating traditionally lab-based technologies into engaging, quick, easy-to-use tools for daily testing, monitoring and training.

Hytro: The world’s leading Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) wearable, designed to accelerate recovery and maximise athletic potential using Hytro BFR for Professional Sport.

Teambuildr: A platform for any coach in any setting. Every day, thousands of coaches log into TeamBuildr to write training programs, build questionnaires and access athlete and client performance data. Teambuildr is a complete platform. Whether you're building your own programming, looking to create custom reports or give athletes a tool for accountability, they've built it out.

- 

Where to Find Us

Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following Inform Performance on:

• Instagram
• Twitter
• Our Website

-

Our Team

• Andy McDonald
• Ben Ashworth
• Alistair McKenzie
• Dylan Carmody
• Steve Barrett 
• Pete McKnight

Episode 164: In this episode of the Informed Performance Podcast, Scott Hulm, a Senior AFL Rehabilitation Physiotherapist at the Western Bulldogs, shares insights from his extensive experience in sports physiotherapy and his ongoing PhD research. A recognized expert in injury prevention, rehabilitation, and performance optimization, Scott delves into the complexities of muscle-tendon unit injuries, with a focus on the aponeurosis, hamstring strain injuries, and high-speed running biomechanics.

✏️Topics Discussed
▪️ Anatomy and Function of the Aponeurosis
▪️ Adaptations of aponeurosis
▪️ Challenges in Managing Soleus and Rectus Femoris Injuries
▪️ Differentiating Aponeurosis and Typical Muscle Strain Injury
▪️ How we can use principles of physiotherapy management to accelerate aponeurosis injury

 

Where you can find Scott:

•⁠  ⁠ResearchGate

•⁠  X/Twitter

•⁠  LinkedIn

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Sponsors

VALD: makers of the Nordbord, Forceframe, ForeDecks and HumanTrak. VALD Performance systems are built with the high-performance practitioner in mind, translating traditionally lab-based technologies into engaging, quick, easy-to-use tools for daily testing, monitoring and training.

Hytro: The world’s leading Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) wearable, designed to accelerate recovery and maximise athletic potential using Hytro BFR for Professional Sport.

Teambuildr: A platform for any coach in any setting. Every day, thousands of coaches log into TeamBuildr to write training programs, build questionnaires and access athlete and client performance data. Teambuildr is a complete platform. Whether you're building your own programming, looking to create custom reports or give athletes a tool for accountability, they've built it out.

Output: is a faster, cheaper and more efficient way to test, analyze, report and program athletic performance - all in a single platform and sensor. Provide comprehensive performance evaluations with 200+ assessments spanning VBT, strength, power and movement. Validated by 10+ years of scientific research. 

- 

Where to Find Us

Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following Inform Performance on:

• Instagram
• Twitter
• Our Website

-

Our Team

• Andy McDonald
• Ben Ashworth
• Alistair McKenzie
• Dylan Carmody
• Steve Barrett 
• Pete McKnight

 

Episode 163: In our first episode of the Sports Performance Leadership show powered by Inform Performance, Pete Mcknight interviews Rich Hunwicks, an established authority in applied high-performance sport & leadership. Rich is a World Cup Finalist, Challenge Cup and Super League winning performance coach, who currently delivers as keynote speaker in the corporate sector whilst coaching high-level executives in lifestyle & leadership principles to maximise productivity & function in both sport & business.
 
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Topics Discussed
•⁠  ⁠Transformational Leadership in Action
•⁠  ⁠Resilience: The Key to Leadership
•⁠  ⁠Seeking Support and Building Connections
•⁠  ⁠The Importance of Care in Leadership
•⁠  ⁠Transitioning from Sports to Corporate Leadership
•⁠  ⁠The Role of Family and Personal Connections

 

Where you can find Rich:

•⁠  ⁠Website

•⁠  ⁠Instagram

•⁠ LinkedIn

-

 

Sponsors

VALD: makers of the Nordbord, Forceframe, ForeDecks and HumanTrak. VALD Performance systems are built with the high-performance practitioner in mind, translating traditionally lab-based technologies into engaging, quick, easy-to-use tools for daily testing, monitoring and training.

Hytro: The world’s leading Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) wearable, designed to accelerate recovery and maximise athletic potential using Hytro BFR for Professional Sport.

Teambuildr: A platform for any coach in any setting. Every day, thousands of coaches log into TeamBuildr to write training programs, build questionnaires and access athlete and client performance data. Teambuildr is a complete platform. Whether you're building your own programming, looking to create custom reports or give athletes a tool for accountability, they've built it out.

Remaker: The Portable Strength Tracking Ecosystem. Remaker provides real-time insights to optimise your performance, making even the smallest improvements in your strength training visible in an engaging and powerful format. Remakers integrate seamlessly with the exercise equipment you already use, and the app provides meaningful metrics for every rep, of every set, of every exercise.

- 

Where to Find Us

Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following Inform Performance on:

• Instagram
• Twitter
• Our Website

-

Our Team

• Andy McDonald
• Ben Ashworth
• Alistair McKenzie
• Dylan Carmody
• Steve Barrett 
• Pete McKnight

 

Episode 162: In this episode of the Inform Performance podcast, Andy McDonald interviews Romain Tourillon, a Physiotherapist, Researcher, Educator and Consultant on the foot and ankle complex. He is currently leading the foot-ankle service at the Swiss Olympic Medical of La Tour Hospital in Geneva (Switzerland). Romain is also involved in a PhD thesis on the role of foot muscles strength in sports performance kinetics under the supervision of JB Morin at the University of Saint-Etienne (France). In this episode Andy & Romain discuss assessing and training foot and ankle function in athletes. 

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Topics discussed

• Understanding forces in Foot and Ankle biomechanics
• Force absorption assessment & training
• Propulsive force assessment & training
• Normative Standards in foot & ankle assessment
• Developing the spring-mass-system

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Where you can find Romain:

• Instagram
• Twitter
• ResearchGate

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Sponsors

VALD: makers of the Nordbord, Forceframe, ForeDecks and HumanTrak. VALD Performance systems are built with the high-performance practitioner in mind, translating traditionally lab-based technologies into engaging, quick, easy-to-use tools for daily testing, monitoring and training.

Hytro: The world’s leading Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) wearable, designed to accelerate recovery and maximise athletic potential using Hytro BFR for Professional Sport.

 

Teambuildr: A platform for any coach in any setting. Every day, thousands of coaches log into TeamBuildr to write training programs, build questionnaires and access athlete and client performance data. Teambuildr is a complete platform. Whether you're building your own programming, looking to create custom reports or give athletes a tool for accountability, they've built it out.

- 

Where to Find Us

 

Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following Inform Performance on:

• Instagram
• Twitter
• Our Website

-

Our Team

• Andy McDonald
• Ben Ashworth
• Alistair McKenzie
• Dylan Carmody
• Steve Barrett 
• Pete McKnight

 

Episode 161: In this episode of the Athletic Shoulder podcast, Ben Ashworth interviews Dr Margie Olds, a leading physiotherapist specialising in shoulder instability. Margie has extensive international experience, she has worked as a physiotherapist in New Zealand, the USA, and the UK and she was the lead therapist for British Canoeing and attended the Athens Olympic Games in 2004.

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Topics discussed

• Predicting recurrent shoulder instability
• Shoulder instability risk assessment tools.
• Conservative vs. surgical management for first-time traumatic anterior shoulder dislocations.
• The significance of kinesophobia during athlete recovery.
• Assessing shoulder readiness & confidence

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Where you can find Margie:

• Linkedin
• Twitter
• Website

-

Sponsors

VALD: makers of the Nordbord, Forceframe, ForeDecks and HumanTrak. VALD Performance systems are built with the high-performance practitioner in mind, translating traditionally lab-based technologies into engaging, quick, easy-to-use tools for daily testing, monitoring and training.

Hytro: The world’s leading Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) wearable, designed to accelerate recovery and maximise athletic potential using Hytro BFR for Professional Sport.

-    Where to Find Us   Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following Inform Performance on:  

• Instagram
• Twitter
• Our Website

-   Our Team  

• Andy McDonald
• Ben Ashworth
• Alistair McKenzie
• Dylan Carmody
• Steve Barrett 
• Pete McKnight

 

Episode 160: In this episode, Steve Barrett talks to Paul Schaffran, the executive assistant of the managing director and head of strategy and youth development for Borussia Dortmund, sharing his unique journey in sports science and youth development. Paul discusses his educational background, the challenges of balancing family and career, and the innovative sports science initiatives implemented at Borussia Dortmund Academy, including bio-banding. Paul emphasizes the importance of collaboration between science and coaching, the need for a holistic approach to player development, and the significance of measuring success through both subjective and objective metrics. He also highlights the competitive landscape of German football and the club's commitment to nurturing talent from within.

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Topics discussed

⁠•⁠  Self-Development within Sports Science 
•⁠  Transitioning into leadership roles 
•⁠  ⁠⁠Effective Bio-Banding
•⁠  ⁠⁠Sports Science initiatives to support the MDT

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Where you can find Paul:

LinkedIn
[email protected]
ResearchGate
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Sponsors 

VALD Performance, makers of the Nordbord, Forceframe, ForeDecks and HumanTrak. VALD Performance systems are built with the high-performance practitioner in mind, translating traditionally lab-based technologies into engaging, quick, easy-to-use tools for daily testing, monitoring and training.

Hytro The world’s leading Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) wearable, designed to accelerate recovery and maximise athletic potential using Hytro BFR for Professional Sport.

Teambuildr: A platform for any coach in any setting. Every day, thousands of coaches log into TeamBuildr to write training programs, build questionnaires and access athlete and client performance data. Teambuildr is a complete platform. Whether you're building your own programming, looking to create custom reports or give athletes a tool for accountability, they've built it out.

- 

Where to Find Us

Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following Inform Performance on:

• Instagram
• Twitter
• Our Website

-

Our Team

• Andy McDonald
• Ben Ashworth
• Alistair McKenzie
• Dylan Carmody
• Steve Barrett 
• Pete McKnight

Episode 159: Dr Andy McDonald chats to Jo Clubb. Jo is an international Sports Science Consultant with extensive experience in elite professional team sports through her company Global Performance Insights. Jo has over a decade in applied sports science, she has worked with top teams including the Buffalo Bills (NFL), Buffalo Sabres (NHL), and Premier League clubs Chelsea FC and Brighton and Hove Albion FC.  In this conversation Andy & Jo discuss the fundamentals of Sports Science and how to implement new technology or systems in high-performance environments. 

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Topics Discussed 

• Role of a Sport Science Consultant
• Bringing clarity to Sport Science
• Implementing technology
• Cultural readiness to change
• Athlete data ownership
  
  

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Where you can find Jo:

• Youtube
• LinkedIn
• Twitter
• Instagram

- 

Sponsors

VALD Performance: makers of the Nordbord, Forceframe, ForeDecks and HumanTrak. VALD Performance systems are built with the high-performance practitioner in mind, translating traditionally lab-based technologies into engaging, quick, easy-to-use tools for daily testing, monitoring and training

-

Hytro: The world’s leading Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) wearable, designed to accelerate recovery and maximise athletic potential using Hytro BFR for Professional Sport.

-

Output Sports: is a faster, cheaper and more efficient way to test, analyze, report and program athletic performance - all in a single platform and sensor. Provide comprehensive performance evaluations with 200+ assessments spanning VBT, strength, power and movement. Validated by 10+ years of scientific research. 

- 

Where to Find Us

Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following Inform Performance on:

• Instagram
• Twitter
• Our Website

-

Our Team

• Andy McDonald
• Ben Ashworth
• Alistair McKenzie
• Dylan Carmody
• Steve Barrett 
• Pete McKnight

Episode 158: In this Research Unpacked Episode from Inform Performance, Dylan Carmody chats to Bryan Heiderscheit. Bryan is a Physical Therapist, Biomechanist and Professor/Vice Chair of research in the Department of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, he is also the director of UW Badger Athletic Performance.

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Topics Discussed 

• Hamstring Injury Risk Factors    
• Methods of Profiling and Monitoring Hamstring Performance  
• Guiding Principles for Hamstring Rehabilitation  
• Screening and Assessment of Hamstring Strength  
• The Impact of Detraining on Hamstring Health  
• Nuances in Nordic Hamstring Curl Analysis

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Where you can find Bryan

• Linkedin
• Research Gate

-

Sponsors

VALD Performance, makers of the Nordbord, Forceframe, ForeDecks and HumanTrak. VALD Performance systems are built with the high-performance practitioner in mind, translating traditionally lab-based technologies into engaging, quick, easy-to-use tools for daily testing, monitoring and training.

-

Hytro: The world’s leading Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) wearable, designed to accelerate recovery and maximise athletic potential using Hytro BFR for Professional Sport.

-

Remaker: The Portable Strength Tracking Ecosystem. Remaker provides real-time insights to optimise your performance, making even the smallest improvements in your strength training visible in an engaging and powerful format. Remakers integrate seamlessly with the exercise equipment you already use, and the app provides meaningful metrics for every rep, of every set, of every exercise.

-

Where to Find Us

Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following Inform Performance on:

 

• Instagram
• Twitter
• Our Website

-

Our Team

• Andy McDonald
• Ben Ashworth
• Alistair McKenzie
• Dylan Carmody
• Steve Barrett

Episode 157: Steve Barrett chats to Shaun McLaren. Shaun is a S&C coach at Newcastle Falcons. Through employment and consultancy, he has previously worked with UEFA, England and GB Rugby League, The NBA, MLS Next, The Premier League, Aston Villa FC, Brisbane Broncos, and Nottingham Rugby, to name a few. Shaun is also a Professor in Practice with Durham University and a Visiting Research Fellow with Manchester Metropolitan University. He is an editor for Science and Medicine in Football and BASES, having published over 60 research papers in applied sports physiology and performance.

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Topics Discussed 

• Practitioner v Academic
• Applications and Misconceptions of RPE
• RPE vs. Differential RPE
• Understanding Training Load as Exposure & Dose paper
• Pitfalls of Terminology in Sport Science

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Where you can find Shaun:

• LinkedIn
• X (Twitter)
• Research Gate
• Data Skills Group Mentorship on Collaborate Sports

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Sponsors

VALD Performance, makers of the Nordbord, Forceframe, ForeDecks and HumanTrak. VALD Performance systems are built with the high-performance practitioner in mind, translating traditionally lab-based technologies into engaging, quick, easy-to-use tools for daily testing, monitoring and training

Hytro: The world’s leading Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) wearable, designed to accelerate recovery and maximise athletic potential using Hytro BFR for Professional Sport.

TeamBuildr: A platform for any coach in any setting. Every day, thousands of coaches log into TeamBuildr to write training programs, build questionnaires and access athlete and client performance data. Teambuildr is a complete platform. Whether you're building your own programming, looking to create custom reports or give athletes a tool for accountability, they've built it out. 

Episode 156: Ben Ashworth chats to Jo Gibson. Jo is a Clinical Physiotherapy Specialist working at the Liverpool Upper Limb Unit at the Royal Liverpool Hospital and a Consultant for R4P. She has worked as a Shoulder Specialist since 1995 and lectures nationally and Internationally about assessment and rehabilitation of the shoulder complex. Jo has co-developed Masters modules with Liverpool University for the diagnosis and treatment of upper limb pathology and has co-authored national guidelines for the management of different shoulder pathologies. Jo’s recognized expertise has resulted in consultancy work with many elite sports teams in varying sports including football, rugby, cricket, gymnastics, swimming, boxing, canoeing and tennis.

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Topics Discussed 

• Addressing Communication Challenges
• The Role of the Kinetic Chain in Shoulder Function
• Parallels in Assessment and Treatment Approaches
• Individualisation in Shoulder Rehabilitation

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Where you can find Jo:

• LinkedIn
• X (Twitter)

Check Out Jo's Shoulder Course

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Sponsors

VALD Performance, makers of the Nordbord, Forceframe, ForeDecks and HumanTrak. VALD Performance systems are built with the high-performance practitioner in mind, translating traditionally lab-based technologies into engaging, quick, easy-to-use tools for daily testing, monitoring and training

Hytro: The world’s leading Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) wearable, designed to accelerate recovery and maximise athletic potential using Hytro BFR for Professional Sport.

TeamBuildr: A platform for any coach in any setting. Every day, thousands of coaches log into TeamBuildr to write training programs, build questionnaires and access athlete and client performance data. Teambuildr is a complete platform. Whether you're building your own programming, looking to create custom reports or give athletes a tool for accountability, they've built it out. 

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Where to find Athletic Shoulder

• Website
• Podcast