The AVOLVE Podcast
The AVOLVE Podcast
AVOLVE Performance
The podcast that takes a deep dive into the hottest topics, personalities and current agendas in strength and conditioning, all the while plenty of laughs exploring it. Your Co-Hosts Matthew Rains & Angus McDonald currently operate a performance facility in Sydneys East called AVOLVE Performance that is solely dedicated to athletes looking to get ahead in their sport. 
# 22 - The Growth of AVOLVE Performance
In this episode, Matt & Angus finally sit down after a long awaited episode together and discuss the growth of AVOLVE Performance over the last year, including the key additions to the high performance staff, the challenges/lessons learnt as well as the direction they feel the business is heading.
Dec 2, 2024
33 min
#21 - Alec Blenis - Hybrid Athlete and Coach
Matt and Angus are joined by Alec Blenis - a hybrid athlete, coach and Murph world record holder. Alec is a gem of the strength & conditioning industry, constantly challenging narratives and shifting perspectives when it comes to training for performance. In this episode Alec discusses his journey into hybrid training, the benefits of heavy unilateral training, the keys to becoming 'anti-fragile' and what direction the fitness industry might be heading. You can find Alec on insta...
Nov 21, 2024
45 min
#20 - Nathan Parnham - Youth Athlete Development Specialist & Author of 'The Sporting Parent'
Matt is joined by strength & conditioning coach and author of 'The Sporting Parent' book, Nathan Parnham. Nathan has plenty of experience in the S&C space, working previously in the professional setting for the NRL Parramatta Eels and Aussie Women 7's Rugby Program, then following on to work in a multitude of schools developing youth athlete systems (currently the Head of Performance at Brisbane Grammar). The lads spoke about the many benefits of strength & conditioning for youth...
Sep 11, 2024
45 min
#19 - Clint Hill - Veteran Strength & Conditioning Coach
Matt and Angus are joined by Clint Hill, the head of performance for West Harbour RFC and a long standing veteran of the strength & conditioning world. Clocking up over 20 years in the industry, Clint walks us through his coaching regime during this time, as well as his thoughts on the changes within the strength & conditioning industry, strategies for working within team environments and advice for younger coaches starting their career. You can find Clint on Instagram: https:...
Jul 29, 2024
55 min
#18 - Nathan Heaney - The Conditioning Consultant
Matt is joined by the conditioning mastermind, Nathan Heaney. In this episode, we discuss the importance of the 'C' in S&C, the value of MAS (maximal aerobic speed) for aerobic energy system prescriptions (especially in team settings), how to prescribe higher intensity training using ASR (anaerobic speed reserve) in team sports, the value of practising what you preach as a coach as well as tips to improve athletes buy in with some of these conditioning tools. You can find more from...
Jul 14, 2024
54 min
#17 - Bob Henderson - Endeavour Sports Management
Matt and Angus are joined by Bob Henderson, the owner of Endeavour Sports Management. Bob's aim is to wholistically take care of athletes from a wide range of sports, whether it's to handle contract negotiations, network with other professionals, provide overseas opportunities and manage external life stressors. In this episode we touched a number of points, including the many benefits of sports management for athletes, what services Endeavour offer, the advantages of overseas/ interstate sp...
Jul 7, 2024
36 min
#16 - Nic Gill - Head of Performance at the New Zealand All Blacks Rugby Union
Matt & Angus are joined by one of the GOATs of the Strength & Conditioning industry, Nic Gill. Nic has been the Head of Performance of the All Blacks for the past 15 years, a legendary team that has some of the most success of any sporting team in the world. We spoke to Gilly about his approach to Strength and Conditioning including the importance of keeping things simple, his views on individualisation when it comes to programming, his recommendations around game day preparati...
Jun 16, 2024
42 min
#15 - Will Ratelle - Olympic lifts vs Loaded Jumps, French contrast downfalls and why less is more when programming for athletes
Matt & Angus are joined by the biggest powerhouse in the S&C game, Will Ratelle. Will is a strength and conditioning coach in North Dakota and has had experience playing in the NFL/CFL while now coaching at the University of North Dakota . As impressive as Wills ability when it comes to lifting weights, dunking a basketball and sprinting, his mind is even more impressive. We discuss a few different polarising topics in the strength and conditioning space and dispel a few...
Jun 2, 2024
37 min
#14 - Steven Sahyoun - Combat Strength & Conditioning Coach
Matt & Angus are joined by Steven Sahyoun to chat all things combat sports strength and conditioning. Steven has a ton of experience coaching combat sports athletes and currently helps prepare UFC fighter Cory Sandhandgen in his strength and conditioning training. This episode covered many great topics including Stevens philosophy promoting movement variation, use of RPE to prescribe training intensity with his fighters, utilising sprint training with fighters, his views on the benefits...
May 21, 2024
1 hr 3 min
#13 - The Art of Load Management
Matt & Angus discuss all things load management including their strategies they have utilised to proactively and reactively manage training load with their athletes. They dive deep into biopsychosocial principles, deload strategies, wellness monitoring tools and even personality types that can have an impact on the outcome of a load management strategy utilised.
Apr 22, 2024
36 min
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