Total Performance with Siobhan Milner Siobhan Milner

Today is episode two of Siobhan Milner's minis which are shorter solo episodes where I dive deeper into a particular topic. If you have a topic you want me to dig deeper into then please let me know over on Instagram, or shoot me an email.
In this episode, I am discussing why you should always check that your supplements are third-party batch tested. We see just about every Instagram influencer selling supplements by making bold claims that are hardly ever backed up by actual science. And what you may not know is that the contamination rates of supplements are rather high. This is why it is super important to always check that your supplements are third-party, batch tested.
Take a listen and let me know if this episode helped to shed light on the supplements market for you.

Important Links: Stay up to date on the Total Performance podcast where you can join Siobhan Milner and guests as we explore the many aspects that come together to build our total performance. Find Siobhan Milner on Instagram, Twitter, & Facebook

Those of us who’ve tried Olympic lifting as a sport or as a supplement to our training know that it’s very technical. But did you know that the technique used can vary based on your body?

In today's episode, I am speaking with Elisabeth Oehler of EO Performance. She is a weightlifting and strength & conditioning coach and consultant who helps organizations to evolve and develop their athletic development programs and improve strength & conditioning support. She also coaches elite athletes from different sports on a remote basis and works as the Head of Strength & Conditioning in a multi-sports academy in Saudi Arabia focusing on martial arts, handball, and athletics.

Today’s episode is split into two parts. In the beginning, we focus more on Olympic lifting technique and how that might be variable according to your body type, and also how you might be able to self-correct your Olympic lifting technique if you don't have constant access to a coach. This will be really helpful for so you if you have been training for a while and want to either begin Olympic lifting as part of your strength program or if you’ve been working on Olympic lifting for a little while and wanna hear more about how some aspects of the technique might be a little bit variable.

In the second part of the podcast, Elisabeth and I particularly talk about Olympic weightlifting for children. We talk about why Elisabeth believes in teaching Olympic weightlifting to children, and how teaching Olympic lifts to children is different from teaching Olympic lifts to adults. And also what Elisabeth thinks is most important for parents and coaches to focus on to set up their children for better physical literacy later in life.

We discuss a myriad of topics in this episode but our main focus is on Olympic lifting for all ages. Elisabeth gives some amazing insights into the differences in training for adults and children and the importance of starting early if you want to pursue weightlifting as a sport versus a component of your strength and conditioning work to support your sport.

If you are already into Olympic lifting and want to improve, or if you’re a coach or parent who wants to start your children or youth athletes with lifting, then this episode is definitely for you.

What are your thoughts on today's topic? Let me know over on IG or send me an email!


About Elisabeth Oehler:
Elisabeth Oehler is a weightlifting and strength & conditioning coach and consultant who helps organizations to evolve and develop their athletic development programs and improve strength & conditioning support. She also coaches elite athletes from different sports (e.g., weightlifting, rugby, athletics, and martial arts) on a remote basis.
Currently, Elisabeth works as the Head of Strength & Conditioning in a multi-sports academy in Saudi Arabia focusing on martial arts, handball, and athletics. Elisabeth studied Sports Science and holds an MSc in Sports Coaching from the University of Birmingham. She is pursuing a Professional Doctorate in Elite Sports Performance at Dublin City University. From 2017 through the end of 2020, she worked as a full-time coach for the German Weightlifting Federation, first as a manager of the youth department and later as head of talent identification and national coach.
She has experience in several high-performance environments including national teams and professional clubs. Elisabeth is a licensed weightlifting coach (DOSB A-Licence High Performance) and specialized Youth Coach by the German Olympic Sports Confederation and has further qualifications in strength & conditioning.

Featured on the show:
Connect with Elisabeth on her website

Follow Elisabeth on Instagram | Twitter

Important Links:
Stay up to date on the Total Performance podcast where you can join Siobhan Milner and guests as we explore the many aspects that come together to build our total performance. Get the full show n

Are you someone who identifies as being injury prone? Have you given consideration to how you progress in your training?
Today is the first episode of a series that will run throughout the podcast which are shorter solo episodes where I dive deeper into a particular topic. I am super excited to get into the nitty-gritty so that we can all progress with intention and (hopefully!) with less risk of injury. If you have a topic you want me to dig deeper into then please let me know over on Instagram, or shoot me an email.
In this episode, I am talking about a concept from exercise science called progressive overload. This principle involves gradually increasing the stress placed on the body. Our bodies are resilient and adaptable, so they respond to the right amount of stress placed on them. And I think we know this at least somewhat intuitively because we know that all kinds of training are hard, and we adapt to that challenge!
The issues arise when you've sustained a super short, sharp increase in training load, and it's just been too much at once for the body, sometimes resulting in pain or injury. So how can we implement progressive overload in our training? Take a listen and I'll introduce you to this concept!

 

Important Links:
Stay up to date on the Total Performance podcast where you can join Siobhan Milner and guests as we explore the many aspects that come together to build our total performance. Get the full show notes and transcript over on the episode page. Find Siobhan Milner on Instagram, Twitter, & Facebook

As athletes, we focus so much on our bodies that we at times can neglect our minds and well-being. So, how are you truly feeling? What do you enjoy doing outside of sport? What makes you deeply happy? And lastly, who are you without sport?
That last question is the hardest one for most, but it is also the most important. It encapsulates so many questions you can ask yourself all in this short sentence. Take a listen to this episode as Julia Eyre breaks it down for us.
In today's episode, I am speaking with Julia Eyre of White Lion Performance. She coaches, teaches, researches, and advocates for athlete well-being in the sports system. Julia founded White Lion in order to offer athletes accessible and accurate information about health and performance. She works as a strength coach, sports scientist, and psychologist, and is based in Giesen, Germany.
We discuss a myriad of topics in this episode but our main focus was athlete well-being and health. Julia gave some tips for athletes to be proactive in optimizing their well-being, and we also talked a little bit about some of the things that need to change within certain systems and certain sports in order to prioritize athlete well-being. Because, as Julia mentioned multiple times, happy, healthy athletes are always going to perform better and live better.
How do you define your mountaintop? Let me know over on IG!

About Julia Eyre:
Julia Eyre coaches, teaches, researches, and advocates for athlete well-being in the sport system. She founded White Lion in order to offer athletes accessible and accurate information about health and performance. She works as a strength coach, sports scientist, and psychologist, and is based in Gießen, Germany.

Featured on the show:
Connect with Julia on her website

Follow Julia on Instagram | Twitter | Youtube | TikTok

Important Links:
Stay up to date on the Total Performance podcast where you can join Siobhan Milner and guests as we explore the many aspects that come together to build our total performance. Get the full show notes and transcript over on the episode page. Find Siobhan Milner on Instagram, Twitter, & Facebook

Are you a dancer who is struggling with either strength training, conditioning, and/or mobility? Are you shying away from strength training because you think it could be counterproductive to your dance? (Spoiler: it isn't!)
In today's episode, I am speaking with Jason Harrison, who owns Present Tense Fitness, is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS), certified personal trainer, and is a member of the International Association for Dance Medicine & Science. He draws on his experience and qualifications to develop systems for his clients, whether they are members of the general public or professional dancers, to nurture both their bodies and minds, and help create resilience against injury.
When it comes to strength training and metabolic conditioning, there are so many misconceptions and we confront quite a few. We also discuss the gap between passive flexibility and active mobility, the mental side of dance training, plus how having an empathetic coach can keep you safe from an injury that will cost you both time and money. 
We are covering a variety of topics but are focusing on dancers in this episode, but if you are not a dancer, no worries, there is still plenty for you to glean from today's conversation. Enjoy!
What was your biggest takeaway from today's episode? Let me know over on IG!

About Jason Harrison:
Jason Harrison is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) who has trained clients in New York, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., and in his native Dayton, Ohio. He also is a Certified Personal Trainer through the National Strength and Conditioning Association, as well as a United States Weightlifting Level One coach. Jason is a member of the International Association for Dance Medicine & Science (IADMS) whose training interests include developing systematic approaches for enhancing dancer performance and injury prevention strategies rooted in strength and conditioning best practices.

Featured on the show:
Connect with Jason on his website

Follow Jason on Instagram | Twitter

Important Links:
Stay up to date on the Total Performance podcast where you can join Siobhan Milner and guests as we explore the many aspects that come together to build our total performance. Get the full show notes and transcript over on the episode page. Find Siobhan Milner on Instagram, Twitter, & Facebook

Are you struggling with low energy availability? Do you know the signs and symptoms to look out for (even the less common ones)? What about how to navigate and help yourself so that you can continue sports if diagnosed?
In today's episode. I am speaking with fellow New Zealander, Katie Schofield, Ph.D., who is a former international track cyclist, registered nutritionist, and holds a Ph.D. with a specialty in LEA and RED-S which is exactly what we are diving into today.
We are getting to understand what Low Energy Availability (LEA) & Relative Energy Deficiency (RED-S) truly are, what symptoms can you expect to experience & how they can affect your daily life, how proper nutrition plays a role, and why having a coach that understands LEA & RED-S can make a world of difference in your growth and performance. Plus, if diagnosed with LEA or RED-S, then what should your next steps be?
While this may feel new, LEA & RED-S are actually very common and the continued research is edging toward many people being at risk for these. Katie is an amazing person to learn about this from since she did her doctoral research on it and was diagnosed with RED-S back in 2014. So she has massive amounts of experience and knowledge from both the educational and personal experience sides making her a great resource of information. 
Whether you are curious about LEA & RED-S, think you may be experiencing the effects, or have already been diagnosed, this episode will answer your questions and more. Enjoy!
Did you learn something new about LEA & RED-S in this podcast? Did you have an AHA moment while listening? Let me know over on IG!
 
About Katie Schofield:
Katie was a former member of the NZ elite track cycling team between 2012-2016 and competed in multiple World Cup and World Championship events. Prior to her cycling career, she completed degrees in exercise science, nutrition, and a Master of Physical Education at the University of Otago, NZ. Katie retired from competitive cycling in mid-2016 to undertake a Ph.D. at the University of Waikato, which was inspired by being diagnosed with Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S) in 2014. Katie's doctoral research investigates the impact of energy deficiency on the body and the socio-cultural contributions to energy deficiency in elite athletes. Her future goals are to educate and inform exercising populations, using her research knowledge and personal experiences, to enhance their understanding of sport-science, health, nutrition, and athletic performance.
 
Featured on the show:
Connect with Katie on her website | email
Follow Katie on Instagram | Facebook
 
Important Links:
Stay up to date on the Total Performance podcast where you can join Siobhan Milner and guests as we explore the many aspects that come together to build our total performance. Get the full show notes and transcript over on the episode page. Find Siobhan Milner on Instagram, Twitter, & Facebook