The Functional Code Podcast

Dr. Jace Nybo, Dr. Addy Knutson

We are here to bring you knowledge and tools to help you better yourself. Dr. Jace Dr. Addy We are The Functional Podcast

  1. 6 days ago

    Can Athletes Be Built? Practice, Mindset, and Trainability | The Functional Code Podcast

    Episode 142: Can Athletes Be Built?Topic: Youth Sports, Trainability, Practice, Mental Skill, and Athletic Development Are athletes born, or can they be built? In this episode of The Functional Code, Dr. Jace and Dr. Addy continue the athlete series by shifting from genetics to development: how environment, coaching, practice quality, mental processing, multi-sport exposure, trainability, failure, opportunity, and support systems shape the athlete over time. This episode challenges the idea that early youth success always predicts future greatness. A kid who dominates at age 12 is not guaranteed to become a world-class adult, and a kid who struggles early is not automatically out. In this episode, we cover: Are athletes born or built?Building the athlete through environment and maturityWhy youth systems often select who can win todayWhy it is okay for kids to loseBuilding the person before building the athleteJamie Vardy and late developmentTom Brady, opportunity, and mental preparationMental vs. physical traits in sportPattern recognition and mental repsJunior rankings and why early success misleadsWhy world-class adults often start laterMulti-sport exposure and injury riskEarly specialization and when it may make senseWork ethic, success, and the feedback loopTalent, desire to train, and the Ferrari analogyWhy sixth-grade dominance does not predict the prosThe 10,000-hour rule and why it is incompletePractice quality vs. practice quantityMichael Jordan and early failureFree play and letting kids be kidsIntentional practice vs. going through the motionsTraining strengths, weaknesses, and role-player excellenceDennis Rodman, Gronk, and finding your advantageMeaningful reps and sport-specific transferWhy youth games are part of long-term practiceMental safety, fun, and failure toleranceWhy two athletes can train the same and get different outcomesThe HERITAGE Family Study and trainabilityVO2 max response and genetic variationCeilings, thresholds, and dose-responseWayne Gretzky, Tom Brady, and mental processingConnor McDavid and the full athletic specimenIdentical twins, different lives, and endurance trainingHelen Glover and being matched to rowingOlympic rowing, trainability, and skill replicationWhat coaches and parents should look for Key takeaway:Athletes can be built, but not every athlete builds the same way. Development is not just about doing more hours. It is about the right environment, the right feedback, the right sport fit, the right mindset, and the right type of practice at the right time. The athlete is not merely executing the program.The athlete is interacting with it. And that interaction changes across age, season, training history, psychology, and environment. Follow The Functional Code:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefunctionalcodeYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheFunctionalCodeSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3aY5zkhwg5Rzk2q33cbIlfApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-functional-code-podcast/id1754585557 Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider.

    Can Athletes Be Built? Practice, Mindset, and Trainability | The Functional Code Podcast

  2. 7 Oct

    Are Athletes Born or Built? | The Functional Code Podcast

    Episode 141: Athlete — Born, Built, or Selected?Topic: Genetics, Trainability, Heritability, Youth Sports, and Athletic Potential Are elite athletes born, built, or selected into the right sport? In this episode of The Functional Code, Dr. Jace and Dr. Addy launch a new series on the athlete — exploring whether professional athletes are created through training, born with rare genetic advantages, or shaped by the right environment, sport selection, coaching, timing, and opportunity. Athletic performance is not one thing. It is genetics, environment, physiology, trainability, health, luck, family culture, access to coaching, injury history, psychology, and whether the athlete is matched to the right sport at the right time. In this episode, we cover: Are athletes born or built?What heritability actually meansWhy genetics do not tell the whole storyHeight, basketball, and sport thresholdsWhy being under 6'3" changes NBA oddsWhy being over 7 feet creates a massive advantageGenetic variance vs. environmental influenceWhy athletic performance is hard to studyWhy tracking athletes from birth is nearly impossibleTrainability and why some people respond fasterVO2 max, lung size, explosive power, and lean massTwin studies and athletic traitsDonald Thomas, Stefan Holm, and high-jump geneticsAthletic families and sibling environmentsThe Staal brothers and hockey developmentACTN3 and the “sprint gene”Why athletic performance is polygenicWhy genetic testing cannot predict pro athletes yetTim Duncan, swimming, and basketballHakeem Olajuwon and late sport specializationWhy the right sport mattersEarly sport specialization vs. multi-sport developmentGymnastics, figure skating, and early-peaking sportsWhy gymnastics can build a movement foundationKucherov, handball, hockey, and skill transferMulti-sport athletes and injury risk reductionBirth month, NHL trends, and relative age effectsEarly motor learning and neuroplasticityProprioception, crawling patterns, and coordinationHow parents can build foundations without forcing outcomes Key takeaway:Elite athletes are not only born. They are not only built. They are born with certain traits, shaped by their environment, trained through repetition, influenced by opportunity, challenged by injury, and often selected into the sport that best matches their body and skill set. The goal is not to force every child into one sport early. The goal is to build the widest foundation possible, expose them to different movements, watch what they naturally respond to, and help match the athlete to the game where their traits can thrive. You cannot choose the hand.But you can radically change whether that hand is recognized, developed, and matched to the right game. Follow The Functional Code:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefunctionalcodeYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheFunctionalCodeSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3aY5zkhwg5Rzk2q33cbIlfApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-functional-code-podcast/id1754585557 Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider.

    Are Athletes Born or Built? | The Functional Code Podcast

  3. 30 Sept

    The Engine Code: Conditioning, VO2 Max, and Recovery | The Functional Code

    Performance Series — The EngineTopic: Conditioning, Energy Systems, VO2 Max, Recovery, and Cardiovascular Capacity Conditioning is the engine behind performance. In this episode of The Functional Code, Dr. Jace and Dr. Addy close out the Performance Series by breaking down how to build the engine — the conditioning, aerobic capacity, recovery ability, and energy systems that allow the body to keep performing when fatigue starts to separate athletes. Two athletes may have the same jump, sprint, strength, and power in the first quarter. But by the fourth quarter, one still has it and the other does not. That difference is often conditioning: how well the body regenerates ATP, manages fatigue, delivers oxygen, clears waste, restores energy, and recovers fast enough to repeat high-quality effort. In this episode, we cover: The engine behind performanceConditioning and fourth-quarter capacityATP-PC, glycolytic, and oxidative energy systemsATP as the body’s energy currencyZone 2 training and heart-rate zonesWhy zone 2 is useful but not magicLow-intensity cardio and endurance foundationsBlood flow, mitochondria, lymphatics, and heart capacitySprints and higher-intensity conditioningVO2 max and longevityNordic 4x4s and interval trainingRegional conditioning and rehab applicationsSoleus, calf work, and venous returnLactate myths and lactate as a usable metaboliteOxygen delivery and tissue extractionMICT, HIIT, and sprint interval trainingRecovery, immune system cost, and overtraining riskHIIT vs. resistance training goalsMarathon training and reducing neurological costRunning volume, joint load, and injury riskConcurrent training and the interference effectCardio before lifting vs. after liftingHow to combine hypertrophy, strength, power, athleticism, and conditioningChoosing the right conditioning modalityWhy low intensity earns its place through low costThe conditioning pyramidCooling tools, breathing tools, and recovery between efforts Key takeaway:Performance is not one adaptation. Performance is the ability to build capacity, express it quickly, apply it to the environment, and recover fast enough to do it again. The goal is not just to work harder. The goal is to build an engine that can recharge faster, recover better, and keep producing when everyone else fades. Build the tissue.Connect the nervous system.Add speed and skill.Then build the engine that lets you repeat it. Follow The Functional Code:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefunctionalcodeYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheFunctionalCodeSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3aY5zkhwg5Rzk2q33cbIlfApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-functional-code-podcast/id1754585557 Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider.

    The Engine Code: Conditioning, VO2 Max, and Recovery | The Functional Code

  4. 23 Sept

    The Athleticism Code: Turning Strength Into Movement | The Functional Code

    Performance Series — AthleticismTopic: Agility, Coordination, Motor Learning, Change of Direction, and Skill Development Athleticism is where strength, power, speed, and muscle finally become movement. In this episode of The Functional Code, Dr. Jace and Dr. Addy continue the Performance Series by breaking down athleticism — how the body takes hypertrophy, strength, power, and speed and turns them into usable sport skill, coordination, reaction, adaptability, and real-world movement. This episode explores why being strong does not automatically make someone athletic. A bodybuilder may curl massive weight but still struggle to throw a baseball 100 miles per hour. A lifter may squat heavy but not jump, cut, react, or change direction like an elite athlete. Athleticism requires more than force. It requires timing, coordination, perception, reflexes, deceleration, multi-planar movement, and brain-to-body communication. In this episode, we cover: Athleticism as the next layer of performanceTurning strength, speed, power, and muscle into movementAgility vs. change of directionWhy strength does not automatically translate to sportBrain-to-body communicationTiming, precision, reaction, and adaptationMulti-planar trainingSport-specific skill developmentOutfielders, depth perception, and ball trackingDeceleration and injury riskCounteractive movement patternsRunning backs, stopping, cutting, and force absorptionGolf step-swing drills and force transferBoxing, short-range power, and recovery after missingGait mechanics and foot translationAnkle mobility, dorsiflexion, and compensationSprinting gait vs. football gaitWhy speed should come after movement qualityEye training and reaction speedCoordination beyond physical strengthIntermuscular and intramuscular coordinationVariability, practice reps, and motor learningReflexes and early athletic developmentPassive movement, proprioception, and childrenGames, obstacle courses, and gamified learningInternal vs. external cuesAthletic development vs. rehab cueingElite athletes, route running, and real-time adaptationStudying the best athletes in the world Key takeaway:Athleticism is not just strength. Athleticism is the ability to express strength, power, speed, coordination, perception, and adaptability in the right movement at the right time. The goal is not just to build a stronger body. The goal is to build a body that can react, adapt, control force, transfer power, and solve movement problems in real time. Build the tissue.Connect the nervous system.Add speed.Then teach the body to adapt. Follow The Functional Code:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefunctionalcodeYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheFunctionalCodeSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3aY5zkhwg5Rzk2q33cbIlfApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-functional-code-podcast/id1754585557 Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider.

    The Athleticism Code: Turning Strength Into Movement | The Functional Code

  5. 16 Sept

    The Chiropractic Neurology Code with Dr.  Garrett Shelby, | The Functional Code

    Guest Episode: Dr. Garrett Shelby, DC — Dr. GTopic: Chiropractic, Upper Cervical Care, Functional Neurology, Vestibular Health, and Adapting to Gravity What if chiropractic is not just about pain relief or “putting bones back in place”? In this episode of The Functional Code, Dr. Jace and Dr. Addy sit down with Dr. Garrett Shelby, better known as Dr. G, a chiropractor in Cincinnati whose work sits at the intersection of precise adjusting, upper cervical analysis, vestibular function, neurological testing, and helping the body adapt better to gravity. Dr. G works with patients dealing with migraines, dizziness, POTS-like symptoms, dysautonomia patterns, postural imbalances, athletic performance issues, and complex neurological presentations. He is also the author of The Vital Balance: The Blueprint to Heal From Anything and Living Superhuman. This conversation explores how chiropractic can evolve beyond the outdated “bone out of place” explanation and into a more accurate model of neuromuscular control, spinal reflexes, vestibular integration, eye movements, muscle tone, and brain-body communication. In this episode, we cover: Upper cervical chiropracticBlair and advanced orthogonal analysisC1, the occiput, and the upper cervical spineFunctional neurology and brain-body communicationVestibular function and adapting to gravityEye movements and neurological testingLeg checks, muscle testing, and reflex patternsMigraines, dizziness, POTS-like symptoms, and dysautonomiaCranial cervical instability, EDS, and mast cell patternsPupil reflex testing and red saturation testingSaccades, eye tracking, and frontal lobe functionGait analysis, cerebellum, and coordinationCervical ocular, vestibulo-ocular, and vestibulospinal reflexesAt-home vestibular exercises and gaze trainingWhy “out of alignment” may be incompleteSubluxation as a neuromuscular control problemPediatric chiropractic, primitive reflexes, ADHD, and brain developmentVagus nerve stimulation, medulla, and appropriate neurological inputThe future of chiropractic Key takeaway:Chiropractic is not just about chasing pain. It is about how the brain controls the body, how the body adapts to gravity, and how the spine, eyes, vestibular system, muscles, joints, and nervous system communicate. Better input can create better output. Resources / Find Dr. G:Website: https://www.vitalbalancecincy.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/g.the.dc/Book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F332R9Q7Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/garrett.shelby.52/ Dr. Garrett Shelby, DC — Dr. GLocation: Cincinnati, Ohio, east side / Montgomery area Books mentioned:The Vital Balance: The Blueprint to Heal From AnythingLiving Superhuman Follow The Functional Code:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefunctionalcodeYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheFunctionalCodeSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3aY5zkhwg5Rzk2q33cbIlfApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-functional-code-podcast/id1754585557 Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider.

    The Chiropractic Neurology Code with Dr.  Garrett Shelby, | The Functional Code

  6. 9 Sept

    The Power & Speed Code: How Athletes Become Explosive | The Functional Code

    Performance Series — Power & SpeedTopic: Force-Velocity Curve, Plyometrics, Sprinting, Elasticity, and Athletic Performance Power and speed are where the body you built finally has to perform. In this episode of The Functional Code, Dr. Jace and Dr. Addy continue the Performance Training Series by breaking down power and speed training — how athletes create force fast, why speed is skill-specific, and why the body must build enough tissue capacity to safely express explosive movement. After covering hypertrophy and strength, this episode moves into the force-velocity curve: how much force you can produce, how quickly you can express it, and how that changes depending on whether you are sprinting, jumping, throwing, skating, swinging, cutting, or changing direction. Dr. Jace and Dr. Addy explain why power and speed are not just about “trying harder.” They are about biomechanics, nervous system timing, elastic recoil, tendon capacity, tissue absorption, skill acquisition, and full-body force transfer. In this episode, we cover: Power vs. speedThe force-velocity curveWhy strength must become speedMLB pitching velocity and full-body force transferCore, legs, torso rotation, and arm whipKinetic energy and elastic recoilThe Z-axis and vertical force productionGround contact, sprinting, and propulsionFoot, fascia, Achilles, calf, quad, and glute contributionBounding, stiffness, jumping, and landingChange of direction and athletic movementWhy plyometrics should not always come firstCoordination, compensation, and injury riskPlyometric volume and tendon loadHow to train power safelyLower resistance with higher speedExplosive reps and longer rest periodsTask-specific power and skill sequencingDownhill sprinting and assisted speed workBands, assisted jumping, and vertical speedBryson DeChambeau and golf speed trainingConnor McDavid, skating speed, and puck-handling skillGenetics, body type, and elite athletic developmentHow to master the human spring Key takeaway:Power and speed are trained expressions of tissue capacity, nervous system timing, biomechanics, elasticity, and skill. The goal is not just to move fast. The goal is to build a body that can absorb force, store energy, recoil efficiently, and express speed without breaking down. Build the machine.Connect the nervous system.Then teach the body to move faster. Resources:Force-Velocity Curve — The Movement Systemhttps://www.themovementsystem.com/blog/force-velocity-curve Coordinate System / X, Y, Z-Axis Referencehttps://www.bem.fi/book/aa/aa.htm Bryson DeChambeau Speed Training — GOLF.comhttps://golf.com/instruction/bryson-dechambeau-explains-secret-speed-training/ Bryson DeChambeau Ball Speed & Yardage — GOLF.comhttps://golf.com/instruction/bryson-explains-ball-speed-yardage/ Connor McDavid Player Profile — Elite Prospectshttps://www.eliteprospects.com/player/183442/connor-mcdavid The Sports Gene: What Makes the Perfect AthleteDavid Epstein, Yellow Jersey, 352 pp. Follow The Functional Code:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefunctionalcodeYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheFunctionalCodeSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3aY5zkhwg5Rzk2q33cbIlfApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-functional-code-podcast/id1754585557 Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider.

    The Power & Speed Code: How Athletes Become Explosive | The Functional Code

  7. 2 Sept

    The Strength Code: Motor Units, Neural Drive, and Smarter Training I The Functional Code Podcast

    Performance Series — Strength TrainingTopic: Strength, Motor Units, Nervous System Recruitment, and Injury Prevention Strength is not just muscle size. In this episode of The Functional Code Podcast, Dr. Jace and Dr. Addy continue the Performance Training Series with a deep dive into strength training — what strength actually is, why bigger muscles are not always stronger, and how the nervous system learns to recruit the tissue you have already built. After the hypertrophy episode focused on building the “factory,” this episode explains how strength training fills that factory with workers. Strength depends on motor unit recruitment, neurological drive, coordination, tendon capacity, joint control, and the ability to express force with intent. Dr. Jace and Dr. Addy break down why strength is task-specific, why isometrics are powerful for rehab and performance, why strength and speed are connected, and why many injuries happen when the muscle can produce more force than the tendon, ligament, or joint can absorb. In this episode, we cover: Strength training vs. hypertrophy trainingWhy size does not always equal strengthMotor units and neural recruitmentBrain-to-muscle communicationStrength as a task-specific skillIsometrics for strength and rehabMotor unit recruitment and rate codingWhy strength can improve before muscle size changesRep ranges for strength trainingHeavy, high-quality repsLonger rest between working setsPush-pull supersetsCARs and joint communication between setsEccentric loading and tendon preparationIsometric, eccentric, and concentric sequencingDiminishing returns and overtraining riskDetrain, retrain, and stimulate daysSix-to-twelve-week strength blocksStrength is speed and speed is strengthAdding faster intent into strength workMedicine ball throws and athletic carryoverTraining variability and real-life strength Key takeaway:Strength is not just how big the muscle is. Strength is how well your nervous system can recruit muscle, coordinate force, protect joints, and express power in the task you are asking the body to perform. The goal is not just to lift more weight. The goal is to build force that the body can control, absorb, and eventually express faster. Research References:Cross-education: motor unit adaptations mediate the strength increase in non-trained muscles following 8 weeks of unilateral resistance traininghttps://www.frontiersin.org/journals/physiology/articles/10.3389/fphys.2024.1512309/full The increase in muscle force after 4 weeks of strength training is mediated by adaptations in motor unit recruitment and rate codinghttps://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6441907/ Follow The Functional Code:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefunctionalcodeYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheFunctionalCodeSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3aY5zkhwg5Rzk2q33cbIlfApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-functional-code-podcast/id1754585557 Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider.

    The Strength Code: Motor Units, Neural Drive, and Smarter Training I The Functional Code Podcast

  8. 26 Aug

    The Hypertrophy Code: How Muscle Actually Grows

    How does muscle actually grow? In this episode of The Functional Code, Dr. Jace and Dr. Addy launch a new Performance Series by breaking down hypertrophy — the science of building muscle size, improving tissue capacity, and training smarter for long-term strength, athletic performance, and injury prevention. This episode goes beyond “lift heavy and get sore.” Muscle growth is not just about damage. It is about remodeling, mechanical tension, protein synthesis, recovery, rep ranges, tendon preparation, nervous system signaling, and how the body adapts to repeated stress over time. Dr. Jace and Dr. Addy explain why hypertrophy training should not only focus on the muscle belly, but also the tendon, musculotendinous junction, fascia, capillary beds, motor units, and joint capacity. They also discuss why training angles matter, why full range of motion must be earned, why failure training is not always necessary, and why recovery is where growth actually happens. In this episode, we cover: Hypertrophy and how muscle actually growsMuscle belly vs. tendon trainingThe musculotendinous junctionMechanical tension and protein synthesisMuscle remodeling vs. muscle damageWhy “no pain, no gain” is incompleteSliding filament theory and movement anglesSarcomeres, muscle fibers, fascia, and ribosomesType 1, Type 2, and Type 2X muscle fibersRep ranges for hypertrophyWhy 6–15 reps is a practical starting pointTraining close to failure without always going to failureWeekly volume and sets per muscleDiminishing returns and overtraining riskTendon warm-ups and short-to-long loadingFull range of motion vs. controlled range of motionHypertrophy vs. strength, power, and athletic performanceRate of perceived exertionStimulate, retrain, and detrain phasesRecovery, sleep, nutrition, and long-term adaptation Key takeaway:Hypertrophy is not just muscle damage. Hypertrophy is remodeling. The goal is to create enough mechanical tension to signal growth, then give the body enough recovery, nutrition, sleep, and time to adapt. The muscle belly matters.The tendon matters.The nervous system matters.The joint matters.And recovery matters more than most people think. If you want to build muscle that lasts, stop only chasing soreness and start training the entire system. Resources: https://www.strongerbyscience.com/myonuclear-muscle-memory/ https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40279-025-02344-w?utm https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/15/11/1041?utm https://simplifaster.com/articles/keep-getting-faster-on-your-own-four-more-weeks-of-speed-training/ Follow The Functional Code:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefunctionalcodeYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheFunctionalCodeSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3aY5zkhwg5Rzk2q33cbIlfApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-functional-code-podcast/id1754585557 Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider.

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About

We are here to bring you knowledge and tools to help you better yourself. Dr. Jace Dr. Addy We are The Functional Podcast

Information

  • Creator
    Dr. Jace Nybo, Dr. Addy Knutson
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    142
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Dr. Jace Nybo, Dr. Addy Knutson
  • Show Website
    The Functional Code Podcast

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