Science for Sport Podcast

What makes a footballer genuinely effective? Is it the number of passes they complete, how much ground they cover or the impact their actions have on the opposition? This week, Richard Graves is joined by former Bundesliga footballer and IMPECT co-founder Jens Hegeler to explore how football analytics are changing the way professional clubs assess performance, identify talent and make decisions. Drawing on his experience playing at the highest level in Germany, Jens explains how a conversation about the limitations of traditional football statistics led him and his co-founders to develop IMPECT. Their approach challenged the value of conventional metrics such as possession and passing statistics, instead focusing on how individual actions influence the game. Central to that approach is Packing, a method of measuring how effectively players bypass opponents through passing, dribbling and other actions. Jens explains how the concept has evolved, how clubs can use contextual data to evaluate players across different leagues and why understanding the quality of an action is often more valuable than simply counting how many times it happens. The conversation also explores the role of data in modern recruitment, the importance of combining analytics with traditional scouting and how IMPECT's integration into Catapult is creating opportunities to connect tactical analysis, video scouting and physical performance data. Looking ahead, Jens shares his thoughts on the growing influence of artificial intelligence in football and why, despite advances in technology, human judgement will remain an essential part of understanding player performance. In this episode you will learn Why traditional football statistics, including possession and passing numbers, don't always reflect the quality of a team's performance. How IMPECT's Packing concept measures the impact of individual actions by identifying how effectively players bypass opponents. How Packing Expected Threat adds context to player actions, helping assess their contribution to creating goalscoring opportunities. How professional clubs use data to identify specific player profiles, compare performances across leagues and inform recruitment decisions. Why team tactics, playing styles and the quality of teammates must be considered when evaluating individual performance. Where data analytics can support traditional scouting, and why watching players remains an essential part of recruitment. How IMPECT's integration with Catapult is bringing together tactical intelligence, video analysis and physical performance insights. The opportunities artificial intelligence could create for football analysis, scouting and performance departments. About Jens Hegeler Jens Hegeler is a former professional footballer, co-founder of IMPECT and currently Head of Commercial, Global Scouting at Catapult. During a professional playing career spanning clubs including Bayer Leverkusen, 1. FC Nürnberg, FC Augsburg, Hertha Berlin and Bristol City, Jens developed a first-hand understanding of the demands of elite football. In 2014, while still playing professionally, he co-founded IMPECT alongside fellow footballer Stefan Reinartz and Lukas Keppler and Matthias Sienz. The company was established to develop football-specific performance metrics that went beyond conventional statistics and provided a more meaningful assessment of individual contributions to the game. IMPECT became known for its innovative Packing metric and has developed scouting and analysis solutions used by professional football clubs. Following IMPECT's acquisition by Catapult in 2025, Jens has continued to help develop its global presence, supporting clubs in using advanced data and technology to improve recruitment and performance analysis. Learn more about IMPECT: https://www.catapult.com/solutions/impect FREE 7d SCIENCE FOR SPORT ACADEMY TRIAL SIGN UP NOW: https://bit.ly/SFSepisode241 ​ Learn Quicker & More Effectively ​ Optimise Your Athletes' Recovery ​ Position Yourself As An Expert To Your Athletes And Naturally Improve Buy-In ​ Reduce Your Athletes' Injury Ratese ​ Save 100's Of Dollars A Year That Would Otherwise Be Spent On Books, Courses And More ​ Improve Your Athletes' Performance ​ Advance Forward In Your Career, Allowing You To Earn More Money And Work With Elite-Level Athletes ​ Save Yourself The Stress & Worry Of Constantly Trying To Stay Up-To-Date With Sports Science Research

Non-contact injuries remain one of the biggest challenges in professional football. With increasingly sophisticated monitoring technology, testing and sports science support available to clubs, why do players still suffer recurring soft-tissue injuries — and are we always preparing them for the physical demands of the game? This week, Richard Graves is joined by strength and conditioning coaches Andrew Hyde and Daniel Booth to discuss how football approaches physical preparation, injury risk and individual player development. Drawing on their experience working both inside elite sport and privately with professional footballers, Andrew and Daniel explore some of the limitations of traditional team-based strength and conditioning programmes. They discuss the challenge of individualising support across an entire squad, the potential disconnect between monitoring data and what actually happens on the pitch, and why practitioners need to understand the individual behind the numbers. The conversation also looks at training load and whether players are always exposed to enough intensity during the week to prepare them for match demands. Andrew explains why simply targeting a painful or weak area may not address the underlying cause of a problem, while Daniel discusses the importance of assessing how an athlete actually moves, accelerates and runs rather than relying solely on testing data. They also explore the increasingly common relationship between club programmes and private performance support. Rather than viewing external practitioners as competition, Andrew and Daniel argue that effective support requires communication, clearly defined roles and a consistent message around the athlete. Perhaps most importantly, the discussion asks how much ownership players themselves should have over their physical development. For both guests, the goal is not simply to prescribe training, but to educate athletes well enough that they can understand their bodies, question what they are doing and take a leading role in their own preparation. In this episode you will learn Why individualising strength and conditioning within a professional football squad can be so difficult Where team-based programmes can leave gaps in an individual player's physical preparation Why monitoring data needs to be interpreted alongside what practitioners actually see on the pitch The potential consequences of underloading players during training Why the site of pain or weakness may not always be the underlying cause of a problem How movement and running mechanics can contribute to recurring soft-tissue injuries How Andrew and Daniel assess players who want to improve speed, acceleration and power What effective collaboration between clubs and private practitioners can look like Why culture and intent can influence the quality of strength and conditioning work How practitioners can help athletes take greater ownership of their physical development Why coaches should be prepared to learn from sports outside football About Andrew Hyde and Daniel Booth Andrew Hyde is a strength and conditioning coach who works privately with footballers ranging from academy age through to first-team level. His previous experience includes roles with Leeds United, Science for Sport, Catapult and the NHS. His work focuses heavily on understanding the individual athlete, identifying gaps in their existing physical preparation and developing programmes around their specific movement and performance needs. Daniel Booth has worked across elite sport for more than a decade, including roles with Watford FC, Ealing Trailfinders and sprint coach Steve Fudge, as well as working as Head of Performance within Warner Bros. productions. He now runs MyoLab, providing performance and sports medical support to athletes. His approach places particular emphasis on coaching, movement assessment, athlete education and bringing different practitioners together around one consistent performance philosophy. Together, Andrew and Daniel offer a practitioner-led perspective on one of football's recurring challenges: how to keep players physically prepared, resilient and available to perform. FREE 7d SCIENCE FOR SPORT ACADEMY TRIAL SIGN UP NOW: https://bit.ly/SFSepisode241 ​ Learn Quicker & More Effectively ​ Optimise Your Athletes' Recovery ​ Position Yourself As An Expert To Your Athletes And Naturally Improve Buy-In ​ Reduce Your Athletes' Injury Ratese ​ Save 100's Of Dollars A Year That Would Otherwise Be Spent On Books, Courses And More ​ Improve Your Athletes' Performance ​ Advance Forward In Your Career, Allowing You To Earn More Money And Work With Elite-Level Athletes ​ Save Yourself The Stress & Worry Of Constantly Trying To Stay Up-To-Date With Sports Science Research

Where should sport draw the line on performance enhancement, and who should decide? This week, Richard Graves welcomes Maximilian Martin, co-founder and CEO of Enhanced, the company behind the Enhanced Games, to discuss one of sport’s most controversial subjects: a competition that permits certain performance-enhancing substances prohibited in mainstream sport. Maximilian explains the thinking behind the Games and makes his case for a different approach to athlete choice, medical oversight and competition. Richard questions what medical supervision involves, how athletes are informed about potential consequences, and the distinction between monitoring health and establishing long-term safety. They also reflect on the inaugural event in Las Vegas, why performances did not always match expectations, and how training, technique and the demands of competition remain central to results. Maximilian shares his interpretation of the athletes’ performances and discusses the role he believes recovery played in their preparation. For practitioners, coaches and anyone following the debate, this conversation examines the tensions between sporting rules, individual choice and athlete welfare. It also considers the responsibilities that come with promoting enhancement to a wider audience, including the potential influence on younger people. In this episode you will learn How Maximilian defines “enhanced” competition and how its rules differ from mainstream sport. His reasoning for allowing certain performance-enhancing substances under medical supervision. How he describes Enhanced’s athlete screening, monitoring and individual preparation programmes. The questions Richard raises about informed consent, potential side effects and Why allowing enhancement does not remove the importance of training, technique and competition-day performance. What Maximilian believes the inaugural Games revealed about preparation, recovery and personal bests. How he responds to concerns about role models, younger audiences and the wider influence of the Games. About Maximilian Martin Maximilian Martin is the co-founder and CEO of Enhanced, the company behind the Enhanced Games. Originally from Germany, he began his career in investment banking in London before moving into entrepreneurship, including a business in Bitcoin mining. In this episode, he discusses his involvement in developing Enhanced and presents the organisation’s position on performance enhancement in sport. The views and opinions expressed by the guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the official position of the podcast, Science for Sport or its affiliates. FREE 7d SCIENCE FOR SPORT ACADEMY TRIAL SIGN UP NOW: https://bit.ly/SFSepisode241 ​ Learn Quicker & More Effectively ​ Optimise Your Athletes' Recovery ​ Position Yourself As An Expert To Your Athletes And Naturally Improve Buy-In ​ Reduce Your Athletes' Injury Ratese ​ Save 100's Of Dollars A Year That Would Otherwise Be Spent On Books, Courses And More ​ Improve Your Athletes' Performance ​ Advance Forward In Your Career, Allowing You To Earn More Money And Work With Elite-Level Athletes ​ Save Yourself The Stress & Worry Of Constantly Trying To Stay Up-To-Date With Sports Science Research

Does the way we talk about aerobic and anaerobic training help us prescribe better conditioning, or can it lead us towards the wrong sessions? This week, Richard Graves welcomes James de Lacey back to the Science for Sport podcast to examine conditioning for high-intensity intermittent sports, including rugby, football and combat sports. James challenges the assumption that improving recovery between hard efforts always requires more low-intensity training. He explains the distinction between delivering oxygen to the muscles and the muscles’ ability to use it, and why identifying what limits an individual athlete should guide the training you prescribe. They discuss what repeated sprint tests, heart rate responses and muscle oxygenation measurements can reveal, including why two athletes can achieve the same performance score through very different physiological responses. James also makes his case for short sprint interval sessions and explains why conditioning needs to complement the technical and tactical work athletes already do. For practitioners working with limited time, the conversation raises a useful question: are you targeting the adaptation the athlete needs, or simply adding more work? In this episode you will learn Why James questions the use of aerobic and anaerobic labels to prescribe conditioning. How oxygen delivery and oxygen use influence performance and recovery between intense efforts. Why peak speed, power and VO₂ max values provide only part of an athlete’s performance picture. How heart rate recovery patterns and near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) can inform individual conditioning decisions. Where James sees a role for sprint intervals, longer intervals and low-intensity training. How to account for sport practice, training load and time constraints when planning conditioning. Why James argues that improvements from sprint interval training can continue beyond an initial training block. About James de Lacey James de Lacey is a strength and conditioning coach with experience in professional and international rugby union and rugby league. He holds a master’s degree in Sport and Exercise Science and has published research in strength and conditioning. His work now includes coaching combat sports athletes and educating coaches through Sweet Science of Fighting. He is also a longstanding contributor to Science for Sport’s research reviews. FREE 7d SCIENCE FOR SPORT ACADEMY TRIAL SIGN UP NOW: https://bit.ly/SFSepisode241 ​ Learn Quicker & More Effectively ​ Optimise Your Athletes' Recovery ​ Position Yourself As An Expert To Your Athletes And Naturally Improve Buy-In ​ Reduce Your Athletes' Injury Ratese ​ Save 100's Of Dollars A Year That Would Otherwise Be Spent On Books, Courses And More ​ Improve Your Athletes' Performance ​ Advance Forward In Your Career, Allowing You To Earn More Money And Work With Elite-Level Athletes ​ Save Yourself The Stress & Worry Of Constantly Trying To Stay Up-To-Date With Sports Science Research

Can athletes learn to grow from pressure, rather than simply recover from it? This week, Richard Graves welcomes Dr Nick Holton to the Science for Sport podcast to explore antifragility: the idea that appropriately managed challenges could help athletes develop greater capacity to handle future demands. Nick explains how he distinguishes antifragility from resilience, and why preparing athletes for difficult moments means looking beyond visualising the perfect performance. They discuss how coaches can introduce realistic challenges, account for individual differences, and support athletes through the experience and recovery afterwards. For practitioners, the central question is how to create enough challenge to encourage development without overwhelming the athlete. Nick discusses the importance of understanding the specific emotions involved, why strong performances can conceal a risk of burnout, and how athlete feedback and wearable data might inform a more complete picture. They also examine the limitations of the research. Antifragility remains an emerging field, with questions around its definition, measurement and application in sport. Nick shares what his team is investigating and what coaches can take from the concept while that evidence develops. In this episode you will learn How Nick distinguishes antifragility from resilience and robustness. Why visualisation should also prepare athletes for difficult and imperfect circumstances. Why psychological challenges need to reflect the individual athlete’s capacity and experience. How pressure, frustration, disappointment and anger can require different responses. Why recovery, athlete agreement and appropriate support matter when introducing challenges. How performance, wellbeing and burnout can tell different stories about the same athlete. Where antifragility research currently stands and what better measurement could offer practitioners. About Dr Nick Holton Dr Nick Holton is a performance and wellbeing coach, consultant and co-founder of The Antifragile Academy. He works with professional and collegiate athletes, alongside organisations in education, business and first-response services. His work focuses on human flourishing: supporting performance alongside wellbeing and fulfilment. A former football coach with 15 years’ coaching experience, Nick brings a background in education and psychology to his work with athletes and coaches. FREE 7d SCIENCE FOR SPORT ACADEMY TRIAL SIGN UP NOW: https://bit.ly/SFSepisode241 ​ Learn Quicker & More Effectively ​ Optimise Your Athletes' Recovery ​ Position Yourself As An Expert To Your Athletes And Naturally Improve Buy-In ​ Reduce Your Athletes' Injury Ratese ​ Save 100's Of Dollars A Year That Would Otherwise Be Spent On Books, Courses And More ​ Improve Your Athletes' Performance ​ Advance Forward In Your Career, Allowing You To Earn More Money And Work With Elite-Level Athletes ​ Save Yourself The Stress & Worry Of Constantly Trying To Stay Up-To-Date With Sports Science Research

What can a saliva sample tell a performance team that a blood test taken a few times a season might miss? This week, Richard Graves is joined by Marlon Millard, chemist and founder of Biolyz, to discuss how frequent biomarker testing could help teams understand what is normal for each athlete, and spot changes that deserve a closer look. Marlon explains what saliva can and cannot reveal, why a cortisol reading needs context, and how testing trends may be more useful than reacting to a single result. They also discuss the practical challenge of turning large amounts of biochemical data into information that medical and performance staff can use alongside training load, wellness and performance measures. The conversation looks ahead to whether these data could eventually help teams anticipate illness, poor recovery or injury risk, while being clear that reliable prediction still requires more evidence. In this episode you will learn Why Marlon moved from chemistry and endocrinology into athlete testing Where saliva testing can add to, or differ from, blood testing How frequent testing helps establish an athlete’s individual baseline Why cortisol alone cannot explain the cause of a change How training load and other data help make sense of biomarker results Why one unusual reading should not trigger an immediate response What is needed before biomarker data can support reliable predictions About Marlon Millard Marlon Millard is a chemist and the founder and CEO of Biolyz, a company developing saliva based biomarker testing. His background includes experimental endocrinology and non-invasive testing, followed by medicinal chemistry. He now works on applying frequent, multi-biomarker testing in elite sport. FREE 7d SCIENCE FOR SPORT ACADEMY TRIAL SIGN UP NOW: https://bit.ly/SFSepisode241 ​ Learn Quicker & More Effectively ​ Optimise Your Athletes' Recovery ​ Position Yourself As An Expert To Your Athletes And Naturally Improve Buy-In ​ Reduce Your Athletes' Injury Ratese ​ Save 100's Of Dollars A Year That Would Otherwise Be Spent On Books, Courses And More ​ Improve Your Athletes' Performance ​ Advance Forward In Your Career, Allowing You To Earn More Money And Work With Elite-Level Athletes ​ Save Yourself The Stress & Worry Of Constantly Trying To Stay Up-To-Date With Sports Science Research

How much does the surface beneath an athlete’s feet really affect performance and injury risk? This week, Richard Graves is joined by Professor John Sorochan from the University of Tennessee and Alan Thomson, USA Sales Director at SIS Pitches, to explore the science behind the playing surfaces used at the highest levels of sport. From natural grass and artificial turf to the growing use of hybrid pitches, John and Alan explain what actually happens when an athlete interacts with a playing surface – and why the relationship between the player, their footwear and the surface itself matters. John takes us inside the testing process, explaining how researchers measure factors such as surface hardness, traction, stability and consistency, and how those measurements help inform decisions around player performance and safety. The conversation also explores the rapid development of hybrid surfaces. Alan explains how introducing a small percentage of synthetic fibre into natural grass can reinforce the pitch, reduce surface damage and help maintain more consistent playing conditions across demanding schedules. The pair also discuss one of the biggest challenges in modern sport: creating elite-level natural playing surfaces inside stadiums that are increasingly expected to host football, American football, concerts and other major events throughout the year. Drawing on their work around the 2026 FIFA World Cup, they reveal how surfaces were developed to perform consistently across hugely different environments – from the heat and humidity of Miami to altitude in Mexico and cooler conditions in Canada. They also look at the debate around artificial turf in the NFL, what research can tell us about hybrid alternatives, and where playing-surface technology could go next. In this episode you will learn Why player safety depends on the interaction between the athlete, footwear and playing surface What researchers actually measure when testing elite sports pitches How surface hardness, traction and stability can influence player movement The difference between natural grass, artificial turf and hybrid playing surfaces Why hybrid pitches are still predominantly natural grass despite their synthetic reinforcement How hybrid systems can create greater stability and consistency as a pitch begins to wear How playing surfaces were developed for very different climates during the 2026 FIFA World Cup Why achieving consistent ball and player interaction across different stadiums is so important How multi-use stadiums are changing the demands placed on grounds teams and playing surfaces Why shallow hybrid stitching has opened up new possibilities for temporary and replaceable surfaces What elite sport can learn from the ongoing debate around artificial turf and player safety How research, technology and experienced pitch managers work together to produce elite surfaces About Professor John Sorochan and Alan Thomson Professor John Sorochan is Distinguished Professor of Turfgrass Science and Management at the University of Tennessee and one of the leading researchers in sports turf and athletic-field safety. His career in turfgrass science stretches back more than 30 years, including working as a student on the 1994 FIFA World Cup. Today, his research examines the relationship between playing surfaces, player biomechanics, turf performance and safety. John has worked with organisations across elite sport including the NFL, Major League Baseball and professional football, and has played a leading role in research designed to deliver safe and consistent pitches for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Alan Thomson is USA Sales Director at SIS Pitches and has spent his career working with elite sports surfaces. After beginning his career in golf-course management in Scotland, Alan moved into the construction, renovation and maintenance of football pitches before joining SIS Pitches. He now works across the United States helping venues implement hybrid playing-surface technology across sports including football, American football, baseball and lacrosse. His recent work has included major stadium projects across North America and the installation and development of hybrid surfaces used during the 2026 FIFA World Cup. FREE 7d SCIENCE FOR SPORT ACADEMY TRIAL SIGN UP NOW: https://bit.ly/SFSepisode241 ​ Learn Quicker & More Effectively ​ Optimise Your Athletes' Recovery ​ Position Yourself As An Expert To Your Athletes And Naturally Improve Buy-In ​ Reduce Your Athletes' Injury Ratese ​ Save 100's Of Dollars A Year That Would Otherwise Be Spent On Books, Courses And More ​ Improve Your Athletes' Performance ​ Advance Forward In Your Career, Allowing You To Earn More Money And Work With Elite-Level Athletes ​ Save Yourself The Stress & Worry Of Constantly Trying To Stay Up-To-Date With Sports Science Research

Few people are better placed to chart the evolution of sports science in professional football than Simon Grayson. Across a career spanning five decades, Simon has experienced the game as both a player and manager, from an era of bacon sandwiches before training and beers on the team bus, through to the GPS data, individualised programmes and specialist performance departments that are now part of everyday professional football. This week, Richard Graves sits down with Simon to discuss how that transformation has changed the way players train, recover and prepare for matches, and how his own approach to management has evolved alongside it. Simon explains what he wants from sports science practitioners as a manager, why information has to be relevant rather than simply available, and why data should always be understood within the context of what actually happened on the pitch. They also explore one of the challenges facing modern performance teams: finding the right balance between objective data and a coach's experience. Simon discusses why high-speed running is one of the metrics he pays particular attention to, how physical data can influence team selection during congested schedules, and why he has never wanted his training sessions to be dictated entirely by the numbers. Drawing on his experiences in English football and coaching overseas, Simon also explains how climate, culture and the physical capabilities of players can force coaches to adapt their methods. And despite everything that has changed, he believes one part of coaching remains as important as ever: getting the best out of people. In this episode you will learn How sports science in professional football has changed since Simon began playing in the 1980s What a manager actually wants from sports science and performance staff Why more data doesn't necessarily mean better information Why Simon pays particular attention to high-speed running How physical data can influence selection during congested fixture schedules Why training load data needs to be interpreted within the context of the game How managers balance sports science recommendations with coaching experience What modern recovery looks like compared with previous generations How Simon adapted his training methods when coaching in different climates and cultures Why man-management and relationships remain fundamental regardless of advances in technology About Simon Grayson Simon Grayson has spent more than four decades in professional football as a player, coach and manager. After beginning his career at Leeds United, he went on to play for clubs including Leicester City, Aston Villa, Blackburn Rovers and Blackpool. His playing career included promotion to the Premier League with Leicester and victory in the 1997 League Cup. As a manager, Simon has led clubs including Blackpool, Leeds United, Huddersfield Town, Preston North End, Sunderland and Bradford City, with promotion-winning campaigns at several clubs. His career has also taken him overseas, giving him experience of working with players and performance teams in different footballing cultures and environments. More recently, Simon has worked in international football and advisory roles, while also launching the Simon Grayson Football Academy in Leeds. FREE 7d SCIENCE FOR SPORT ACADEMY TRIAL SIGN UP NOW: https://bit.ly/SFSepisode241 ​ Learn Quicker & More Effectively ​ Optimise Your Athletes' Recovery ​ Position Yourself As An Expert To Your Athletes And Naturally Improve Buy-In ​ Reduce Your Athletes' Injury Ratese ​ Save 100's Of Dollars A Year That Would Otherwise Be Spent On Books, Courses And More ​ Improve Your Athletes' Performance ​ Advance Forward In Your Career, Allowing You To Earn More Money And Work With Elite-Level Athletes ​ Save Yourself The Stress & Worry Of Constantly Trying To Stay Up-To-Date With Sports Science Research

Are elite athletes training harder than the demands of their sport require? This week, Richard Graves is joined by performance coach Colin Byrne, who spent seven years working with Conor McGregor as part of his training and corner team. Colin believes many athletes, particularly in combat sports, still confuse doing more work with preparing effectively. He explains why conditioning should reflect the actual structure of competition, how fatigue affects technical execution and why the ability to recover between intense efforts can decide contests. The conversation explores Colin’s work with McGregor following his first defeat to Nate Diaz. He describes how introducing greater structure, separating skill development from conditioning and helping McGregor understand his own intensity transformed the preparation for their rematch just 14 weeks later. Colin also introduces his “one-round principle”, challenges the value of routinely exceeding competition distances in training and explains what combat sports can learn from cycling’s measurement-led approach to performance. In this episode you will learn Why many combat athletes train too much without training specifically enough How fatigue affects decision-making and technical execution What Colin changed after Conor McGregor’s first fight with Nate Diaz Why skill training and conditioning may need to be separated How heart rate and power data can help athletes understand pacing Why recovery between high-intensity efforts matters so much How the “one-round principle” changes the structure of fight preparation Why training beyond the demands of competition is not always productive What coaches can learn from cycling’s approach to measurement How amateur athletes can make better use of limited training time About Colin Byrne Colin Byrne is a performance coach, martial artist and founder of the Shinobi Academy in Portugal. A former professional cyclist and European silver medallist in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, he holds black belts in both Brazilian jiu-jitsu and ninjutsu. Colin spent seven years travelling and working with Conor McGregor, helping to structure his conditioning following the first Nate Diaz fight and supporting him as a trainer and cornerman. His approach combines practical coaching experience, measurable performance data and a detailed understanding of the demands placed on combat athletes. FREE 7d SCIENCE FOR SPORT ACADEMY TRIAL SIGN UP NOW: https://bit.ly/SFSepisode241 ​ Learn Quicker & More Effectively ​ Optimise Your Athletes' Recovery ​ Position Yourself As An Expert To Your Athletes And Naturally Improve Buy-In ​ Reduce Your Athletes' Injury Ratese ​ Save 100's Of Dollars A Year That Would Otherwise Be Spent On Books, Courses And More ​ Improve Your Athletes' Performance ​ Advance Forward In Your Career, Allowing You To Earn More Money And Work With Elite-Level Athletes ​ Save Yourself The Stress & Worry Of Constantly Trying To Stay Up-To-Date With Sports Science Research

Elite teams have access to more performance data than ever. The real competitive advantage, however, comes from knowing which questions to ask, how to interpret the answers and when to act. This week, Richard Graves is joined by Jamie Hepner, Director of Applied Sport Science – Football Performance at Catapult. Drawing on almost 12 years of working with leading NFL and college football programmes, Jamie explains how applied sports science has progressed from simply monitoring athletes to actively shaping training and practice. The conversation explores how performance teams can combine wearable data, video and practitioner judgement to manage player availability without leaving athletes underprepared. Jamie discusses why training load cannot be viewed in isolation, how deviations at individual and positional-group level require different responses, and why feeling tired after a demanding training block is not necessarily a negative outcome. Jamie also explains how technology such as Vector 8 is connecting physical performance data with the tactical context of practice. This allows practitioners to examine the demands of particular plays, automate player participation and prescribe the type and number of repetitions an athlete may need during the week. This is a practical discussion about moving beyond interesting information and using data to make decisions that improve preparation, availability and performance. In this episode you will learn What applied sports science looks like within NFL and college football Why the quality of the question determines the value of the data How player tracking and video can provide greater context around physical demands Why minimising training load does not necessarily reduce injury risk How performance teams balance player availability with adequate preparation How wearable data can help prescribe practice rather than simply review it Why individual and positional-group deviations require different responses How subjective athlete feedback and objective performance data work together Why fatigue and soreness can sometimes be an intended training response How practitioners can turn performance information into decisions coaches can use Why the next stage of athlete monitoring is likely to focus on context rather than data volume About Jamie Hepner Jamie is Director of Applied Sport Science – Football Performance at Catapult He works with leading American football programmes to help practitioners and coaches apply athlete-monitoring data to training, preparation and player-availability decisions. During almost 12 years at Catapult, Jamie has helped the company respond to the evolving performance needs of NFL and college football teams. Originally from Australia, Jamie relocated to the United States when he joined Catapult during the company’s early expansion into American sport. His previous experience includes athlete management with AFL Victoria and strength and conditioning coaching. FREE 7d SCIENCE FOR SPORT ACADEMY TRIAL SIGN UP NOW: https://bit.ly/SFSepisode241 ​ Learn Quicker & More Effectively ​ Optimise Your Athletes' Recovery ​ Position Yourself As An Expert To Your Athletes And Naturally Improve Buy-In ​ Reduce Your Athletes' Injury Ratese ​ Save 100's Of Dollars A Year That Would Otherwise Be Spent On Books, Courses And More ​ Improve Your Athletes' Performance ​ Advance Forward In Your Career, Allowing You To Earn More Money And Work With Elite-Level Athletes ​ Save Yourself The Stress & Worry Of Constantly Trying To Stay Up-To-Date With Sports Science Research