Coaches often need to create constraints when an exercise does not look the way they want it to. Similarly, Physical Therapists often need to create constraints with rehab exercises if a patient is experiencing pain. But what does that really mean? Well, it is much more than limiting range of motion. It involves utilizing different positions, changing load variations, and using the external environment. Listen to this episode today so you can start to successfully implement constraints in your programs for optimal results! Don't forget to leave us a review as well as follow us on IG: @drewcobin and @dr.pete_inserillo

Tyler Anzmann is no rookie when it comes to building a solid strength and conditioning program for pitchers. With years of coaching experience on top of his own successful baseball career, he is a wealth of knowledge.   We had the pleasure of diving deep with Tyler about how he tests his athletes and utilizes a force-velocity profiling system in order to effectively program for each individual pitcher. He explains specifically what tests he performs, how he collects the data, and how he analyzes the data in order to develop a program.   This episode is full of valuable nuggets for any strength coach who works with a baseball population.   Don’t forget to leave us a 5 star review and share this with another coach!

Coaching in a semi-private business model is an lucrative way to ensure a quality experience and provide impeccable service. However, it can go horribly wrong if you are not prepared with client programs individually written or a logical mind map of progressions and regressions. In this interview with Stephen Calarco (IG: @Stephencalarco) we delve into how to make the most money by providing an incomparable training experience for your clients, how to not "freeze" on the floor if your original plan does not follow through, and how to help your clients form habits. 

Arguably the MOST content-heavy episode we've released to date, we cover two main topics that are hot in our respective fields.Criterion-based progressions require extensive skill to be able to assess and measure a patient's progress in their rehabilitation. Most patients who have a surgical procedure performed have a time-based protocol that is the guide their rehabilitation. However, protocols can vary quite a bit based on the surgeon or orthopedic group. So, as Doctors of Physical Therapy, why not utilize our skill set to determine more appropriate progressions based on individual patient presentation? In my experience, a simple phone call or text message to the surgeon updating them on a patient's progress and simply asking for permission to progress has been received tremendously well!Lastly, how intensive and variable should your warm up be? Drew and I discuss two sides of the argument of variability and specificity of warm ups in preparation to main lifts.Don't forget to leave us a review! Thanks again for listening to The PainFreePerformance Podcast!

We were honored to interview John O'Neil, Director of Performance at Cressey Sports Performance in Massachusetts. Everybody who gets into Strength and Conditioning wants to work with the best of the best: the top 1% of athletes who get paid to do what they love. However, many young coaches do not understand what it takes to get there. Little paid and unpaid internships, getting to work at 4:45 am, working split shifts, and participating in journal reviews and in-services. John, who has put in his time, is now the Director of Performance at CSP, Mass. To many, he has made it. No more 5 am shifts, no more splits, and overseeing every program that is executed in the facility. To John, this does not mean he has permission to stop learning. He still coaches, directs in-services, and continues to develop himself. Having this growth mindset is what separates good coaches from the best of the best. A relentless willingness to continue learning, with no "end destination" in sight. Amongst other key points, John sheds light on how he filters all of the information available to us. Using his filter he develops coaching systems. Lastly, you won't want to miss his mention of books and influences that have shaped his current coaching philosophy. Don't forget to share this episode with another strength coach you know! Our objective is to provide valuable content by talking to coaches who are more experienced or have different perspectives. We grow the field by having conversations, asking questions, and sharing what we know.

The PainFreePerformance Podcast is thrilled to introduce Josh Levitan from The Lost Breed on this episode! The Lost Breed has established themselves as a global brand that exemplifies hard work and a growth mentality. Along with a dope clothing line and sick online workout programs, this company took the world by storm with videos that went viral. If you haven't seen them yet, now is the time to check it out and get inspired! We covered so much in our time together. What it took to grow such a huge online presence, building a company with a best friend, and how Josh overcame his own setbacks that shaped who he is today. The most important part of this podcast was the end when we discussed using a social media platform to drive home a message, not for external validation.Don't forget to leave a review and share this to your social media story!

Coach Spada discusses the ins and outs of developing a pre-season program for his athletes and how he has adjusted in his new role as Head Strength Coach.We also discuss the difference (or lack thereof) between training for health versus training for performance. There were so many huge takeaways from this episode. Thank you Coach Spada for your wealth of knowledge as always! 

Motor learning and skill development are key to improving an athlete's ability to perform at the highest level. Whether you are hitting a golf ball, swinging a baseball bat, or throwing a 30 yard touchdown pass, all movements must be learned by the individual. (THIS IS NOT "MUSCLE MEMORY", THERE IS NO SUCH THING). If you want to know the specific stages of motor learning and ways to optimize your verbal, tactile, and kinesthetic cues, then this episode is PRECISELY for you!Drew said it perfectly, "It doesn't matter how good your exercises are if you can't coach them". What he means is that no matter how dope your program is, if your athletes and clients don't have the ability to execute the exercises then all that work going into your program was unfortunately wasted. Coaches need to understand that the biggest part of their roles in the weight room is giving the athlete ACCESS to these movements. This is done through the neuromuscular system. We can optimize our athlete's ability to develop skill by being strategic with cueing and programming. All of this and more you can find in this episode. Enjoy!

Dynamics of the rib cage, breathing techniques, and maybe even our first fight?! There was a ton of information to unpack with this episode and we both really enjoyed the conversation. Not all coaches share the exact same beliefs and philosophies in regards to training efficaciously. Although Drew and I share many of the same biases, we uncovered a few viewpoints that we did not share common ground with. An important takeaway from this episode was how to have a conversation with differing viewpoints while maintaining respect and professionalism. Don't forget to leave us a 5 star review! Find us on social media (IG) at:dr.pete_inserillo and drew.cobin   Happy Coaching!

Let's be really honest... great coaches see more in athletes and clients than good coaches do. This takes time, collaboration, and a willingness to think outside of your comfort zone. Developing a keen coach's eye is a skill that requires time, patience, and a willingness to learn from others. Pride can get in the way of thinking outside of your own comfort zone, similar to the need to be right ALL OF THE TIME. All coaches make mistakes. All coaches miss things such as compensations or clues to underlying pathologies or substitution movements. In this episode we discuss how we have developed a keen coaches eye over the last few years and what you can do as a young coach to develop yours!

This interview had me absolutely fired up! When you meet another coach who shares your passion and drive to help others, a good conversation is always the result. Lindsay was absolutely impressive from the moment she tuned in. She is intelligent, well-spoken, experienced, and most importantly, compassionate about our industry. Her goal is to provide a quality online training and coaching experience to women (men, too)who want help losing weight, overcome their struggling relationship with food, become confident and EMPOWERED to transform into the person they want to be. You wont want to miss this episode on the PainFreePerformance Podcast! Find us on Spotify!

Have you used accommodating resistance in your training programs? How do you know you're getting the proper benefits of this intervention? Is this newer trend going to get your athletes to the next level, or is it much ado about nothing?  In this episode, we dive deep into athlete archetypes and specific exercises where this is applicable. We converse about force vs. velocity, what kind of athletes need each one, and how we can manipulate our training programs to accommodate for their needs. Listen to the end to get a sneak peek on an upcoming episode that you won't want to miss! Don't forget to leave us a comment! Happy training!

Drew highlights his Key Performance Indicators of the baseball program he has recently been coaching, how he addresses measuring performance objectively, and session management with younger athletes. Most strength and conditioning coaches will have to work with a younger demographic (and they should want to, it's fun and rewarding!) However, with the age and maturity levels, it can be difficult to maintain control of the session. We converse about methods to keep engagement and objectivity of each athlete and ensure intent with the exercises.

This interview is our first ever client testimonial on this platform! My client, and good friend Sean talks to us about his previous athletic endeavors, including Division 1 baseball, and how it has affected his overall health. Over the course of his journey, he acquired a traumatic meniscal "flap" tear, limiting his ability to workout to his full potential, play golf, and even squat down to pick things up from the ground. Sound familiar? We discuss how Dr. Peter Inserillo was able to fully rehab his knee and in only 4 short months, Sean is now able to squat and deadlift over 300 pounds! Not bad for a guy with a 6'3'' frame!  

This is The Painfreeperformance Podcast's first ever interview episode. We had a great conversation with our good friend Paul Spada, Head Strength and Conditioning Coach at the University of Bridgeport. Paul has quite the resume, with experience working in the strength and conditioning programs at Louisiana State University, Yale University, Wofford, and he earned a Master of Science degree from the University of New Haven in 2018 after serving as a Graduate Assistant for the Chargers. Spada holds professional certifications from the NSCA (National Strength and Conditioning Association) as a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and a Tactical Strength and Conditioning Facilitator, as well as being a Certified Level 1 Sports Performance Coach from USA Weightlifting. A Connecticut native, Paul is a 2017 graduate of Central Connecticut State University where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Exercise Science and was a standout offensive lineman for the Blue Devils' football program.

Pete and Drew are faced with patients and clients that present a new challenge to them. In this episode we present specific case studies for patients and personal training clients who have more severe deficits, require a deeper level of understanding, and even more effective intervention protocols.

We had a hard time naming this episode because we discussed a wide variety of topics in just under an hour. Essentially, we talk about training the specific individual who is in front of you. Teasing out potential anatomical variants versus movement pattern dysfunctions, and so much more! We would love to get your feedback. Please like or follow the podcast, send us some info about yourself, and lets talk shop!

No pain, no gain? We don't think so. As a S & C coach, it is inevitable that you will train an athlete who develops some sort of pain. Do you approach this problem by having them work through it? Do you implement an intervention? Do you refer out?  Pete takes the initial lead in this episode by talking about what most coaches are afraid to do- refer out. Drew follows up with a great discussion and real-life examples of how he came up with the perfect intervention to rid an athlete of their pain.  Do you have an athlete who is returning from an injury or has a history of some sort of pain? Check out this episode to find out some ways you can get to the bottom of it.  Have a question? Ask! We are open to all feedback. Thank you!

With the various performance benefits that Olympic Lifting brings to the table, it is imperative that they are incorporated into an athlete's strength and conditioning program. But, do we need to stick to the conventional clean and jerk and overhead snatch?  Drew and Pete discuss modifications to these lifts and how they can be applied to different sport skills as well as how to implement them into one's program. All of the basics of Olympic Lifting for team sports are included in this episode. You will not be disappointed!

Is peak sprint speed important to you and your coaching staff? If so, this episode is A MUST LISTEN. Here, we evaluate previous coaching mistakes when trying to get athletes to be faster and how we've grown as coaches since then. Programming, cueing, drills, you name it. It's all here at The PainFreePerformance podcast with Drew Cobin, CSCS, and Pete Inserillo, CSCS, SPT.