Andy McDonald is a strength and conditioning coach turned rehab innovator. He’s the founder of Gameplan Performance, and host for the Informed Performance Podcast.
In this episode, Andy and I attempt to unravel the complexities of athlete recovery.
He challenges the traditional “three-phase rehab model” of return to play, and advocates for a more nuance and collaborative approach.
We talk about how important terminology and language are in the rehab process, versus throwing around buzzwords like “strength” or “power.”
And most importantly, we talk about the synergy that needs to occur between PT’s and strength coaches if we want to get athletes back to 100% – and beyond.
This is an awesome episode and one I know you’re going to love – let’s do this!
Quotable Quotes:
Nobody owns rehab. At the end stage of rehab, if we’re talking about the athlete getting back to a sustainable level of performance at the highest level we can get them back at, the people that know the most about what that looks and feels like is the athlete and the coach
Three-phase systems don’t work. We’ve got this gravitation that years ago we would refer to things in rehab as early stage, mid stage, and late stage. But if we can more clearly deconstruct a rehab into its constituent parts, then what we’re left with is a system
The common currency that all of us share is exercise. The strength conditioning coach, especially in more advanced exercise stages, they’ve just got a better eye, feel, and understanding, knowledge base, how to coach it, how to program it
This Week on the Physical Prep Podcast:
Andy’s background and how he got into strength and conditioning and physical therapy
How collaboration between coaches, clinicians and rehab specialists leads to faster athlete recovery
Why one of your first steps in the return to play (RTP) process should be to deconstruct or reverse engineer sporting demands
The power of adapting and evolving strategies based on real-time feedback to improve buy-in and results
Why getting clear on terminology and language is such a key piece of the rehab/RTP puzzle
How transparency and humility go hand-in-hand in the athlete recovery process
The “relay” approach that defines most high-quality, well-executed rehabs
How to take the guesswork out of the process, and what to do when things DON’T go according to plan!
Are you tired of using clunky, antiquated program design tools like Microsoft Word or Excel?
Are you ready to level up your programming, and make it far more engaging to your clients and athletes?
If so, you need to check out Train Heroic.
I’ve been using TrainHeroic for years now both here at RTS and at IFAST, and I can tell you the user experience both as an athlete and coach is truly second to none.
Mike Robertson hosts the Physical Preparation Podcast, a space dedicated to the intricate craft of building better athletes and more effective coaches. Instead of quick fixes or fads, conversations here focus on the principles and practical details that form the foundation of sustainable performance. Each episode features in-depth discussions with leading experts from the health and fitness world, breaking down complex concepts into actionable strategies. You’ll hear honest explorations of training methodologies, injury prevention, and the nuanced decisions that separate good programs from great ones. This podcast serves as a continual education for anyone serious about understanding the ‘why’ behind physical preparation, whether you’re designing regimens for others or refining your own athletic journey. The dialogue is grounded in real-world application, aiming to sharpen your critical thinking and provide tools that can be implemented immediately. Tune in for a consistently insightful look at how intelligent training philosophy translates into tangible results, fostering a deeper appreciation for the art and science of human performance.
Author: Mike Robertson
Language: en-us
Episodes: 100
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