Science in Sports

Simon Heidenreich
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Hosted by sports scientist and former professional hockey player Simon Heidenreich, this sports science podcast explores strength training, athletic performance, recovery science, injury prevention, and applied research in sport. Featuring conversations with strength & conditioning coaches, sport scientists, athletes, and medical professionals, the show translates research into practical insights for coaches, athletes, and anyone interested in performance.

  1. 3d ago

    🇩🇪 #102 Julia Rick: Vom Fußball zur Wakeboard-Weltmeisterin | Training & Mindset

    Wie wird man von einer Fußballerin in der 2. Bundesliga zur mehrfachen Wakeboard-Weltmeisterin? Julia Rick erzählt bei Science in Sports von ihrem außergewöhnlichen Karriereweg, ihrem Training und den Prinzipien, die sie über Jahre an der Weltspitze gehalten haben. Bevor Julia ihre Leidenschaft im Cable Wakeboarding fand, spielte sie professionell Fußball beim 1. FC Köln. 2012 entschied sie sich schließlich, den Fußball aufzugeben und sich vollständig dem Wakeboarden zu widmen. Noch im selben Jahr gewann sie die Junioren-Weltmeisterschaft. 2025 folgte mit Gold bei den World Games in Chengdu ein weiterer besonderer Erfolg. Besonders spannend ist ihr Weg zur Weltspitze: Julia brachte sich ihre Tricks weitgehend selbst bei. Videoanalysen, die Unterstützung ihres Vaters und kontinuierliches Lernen waren entscheidende Bestandteile ihrer Entwicklung. Im Gespräch gibt sie Einblicke in ihren Trainingsalltag in Bangkok: sechs Tage pro Woche auf dem Wasser, tägliches Lauftraining und drei bis vier Krafteinheiten pro Woche. Außerdem erklärt sie, warum sie intensive und lockere Trainingstage bewusst abwechselt, wie sie ihre Wettkämpfe vorbereitet und weshalb Mobility, Ernährung, Schlaf und Regeneration eine wichtige Rolle spielen. Wir sprechen außerdem über drei zentrale Erfolgsfaktoren: Ehrgeiz, Disziplin und Leidenschaft. Julia erklärt, wie sie mit Trainingsplateaus umgeht, warum man bei stagnierenden Fortschritten manchmal einen Schritt zurückgehen sollte und welche Bedeutung mentale Vorbereitung beim Erlernen schwieriger Tricks hat. Eine Folge über außergewöhnliche Leistungsentwicklung, selbstständiges Lernen und die Frage, was es wirklich braucht, um langfristig erfolgreich zu sein. Folge Science in Sports für weitere evidenzbasierte Gespräche.

  2. Oct 26

    🇺🇸 #101 Are You Overcoaching? Wade Gilbert on Better Coaching

    What makes a great coach? Coaching effectiveness goes beyond knowing the sport. It is about teaching, understanding people, building trust and helping athletes improve. In this episode of Science in Sports, I sit down with Wade Gilbert, a leading voice in coaching science, to explore what separates effective coaches from those who simply spend more time instructing their athletes. Wade shares lessons from his work studying coaches, developing coaching frameworks and helping sport organizations improve coach development. We discuss why young coaches often overcoach because they feel the need to prove themselves—and why experienced coaches learn to observe, listen and give athletes more ownership. We also explore three types of coaching knowledge: professional knowledge of the sport and how to teach it, interpersonal knowledge of how to connect with people, and intrapersonal knowledge that helps coaches reflect on their own behavior. In this episode, we discuss: Why knowing your sport does not automatically make you a great coach. How overcoaching can limit athlete autonomy and learning. Why authenticity, humility and trust matter in coach–athlete relationships. How to improve your coaching through observation, collaboration and reflection. Practical ways to evaluate your own performance, even when you coach alone. Why measuring athlete development matters beyond wins and losses. Wade also shares a simple question every coach should ask at the end of the week: Did my players get better? More importantly, how do you know? Whether you coach youth hockey, work in high-performance sport, teach sport science or want to understand athlete development, this conversation offers practical ways to think differently about coaching. Follow Science in Sports for more evidence-based conversations.

  3. Oct 19

    🇺🇸 #100 Youth Hockey Development: What Makes Minnesota Different? with Mike Snee

    Why is Minnesota so successful at youth hockey development, and what can other hockey nations learn from the Minnesota hockey model? For the 100th episode of Science in Sports, I’m joined by Mike Snee, Vice President of the Minnesota Wild Foundation and Community Relations, to explore the community, infrastructure and development philosophy behind Minnesota’s reputation as the “State of Hockey.” Having worked with Minnesota Hockey, College Hockey Inc. and the Minnesota Wild, Mike has seen the game from grassroots participation to the highest levels of professional hockey. His perspective challenges some familiar assumptions about talent development: that the best young players need to be separated early, that more structured coaching always leads to better results, and that families need to invest more time and money to help their children reach their potential. We discuss how public investment in ice arenas helps make hockey more accessible, why Minnesota keeps more players involved in the game for longer, and how a community-based system differs from the increasingly commercialized youth hockey model found elsewhere in the United States. We also explore the influence of Finland on Minnesota’s approach to youth development, the role of parents in shaping young athletes’ experiences, and the potential costs of early specialization and excessive training. One of Mike’s central arguments is particularly thought-provoking: the game itself may be one of the best coaches a young player can have.Unstructured pickup hockey offers opportunities to experiment, learn through failure and develop a lasting love for the sport. Whether you coach young hockey players, work in sports science, support an athlete’s development or help shape a club’s future, this conversation offers a different perspective on what effective player development can look like. A special thank you to everyone who has listened to Science in Sports and helped us reach 100 episodes. Follow Science in Sports for more evidence-based conversations.

  4. Oct 12

    🇺🇸 #99 Concussion Prevention & Scanning in Ice Hockey with Vladislav Bespomoshchnov

    How can coaches improve concussion prevention and develop scanning skills in ice hockey? In this episode of Science in Sports, host Simon Heidenreich speaks with Vladislav Bespomoshchnov, a PhD researcher in Norway whose work focuses on scanning and visual perception in elite ice hockey. The conversation begins with concussion prevention and the responsibility coaches have for athlete safety. Drawing on his experience in coaching and research, Vladislav explains why player safety needs to be considered alongside tactics, skating, shooting and passing. They discuss how concussions can result not only from direct impacts to the head but also from sudden head movements, falls and body contact. Recognizing a potential concussion is another central theme. Vladislav shares a personal experience of continuing to play after feeling unwell and explains why coaches, teammates and support staff must be prepared to notice warning signs, speak up and take appropriate action. The discussion also explores how coaches can build an environment in which athletes feel comfortable reporting symptoms rather than feeling pressured to play through an injury. In the second half, the conversation turns to scanning and visual perception in ice hockey. What does scanning actually mean, and why is it more than simply turning your head before receiving the puck? Vladislav explains how players search their environment for information that helps them decide what to do next. They challenge the idea that more scans automatically lead to better decisions and discuss why timing, context, opponents, teammates and available space matter. For coaches, the key question becomes how to design practice situations that provide players with meaningful information to perceive and act upon. Whether you coach ice hockey, work in sport science or sports medicine, or want to understand the game from a different perspective, this episode offers a thoughtful discussion of player safety, concussion awareness, scanning behaviour and representative training design. Follow Science in Sports for more evidence-based conversations.

  5. Oct 5

    🇩🇪 #98 Langzeitverletzungen: Warum Return to Play nicht reicht mit Nathalie Klingebiel

    Was passiert mental nach einer Langzeitverletzung – und warum reicht Return to Play allein nicht aus? In dieser Folge sprechen wir mit Sportpsychologin Nathalie Klingebiel über Sportpsychologie, Verletzungsmanagement, Rehabilitation und den mentalen Weg zurück in den Leistungssport. Nathalie Klingebiel arbeitet aktuell als Sportpsychologin bei Werder Bremen und bringt Erfahrungen aus verschiedenen Nachwuchsleistungszentren und dem Profifußball mit. Im zweiten Science in Sports Gespräch sprechen wir darüber, wie sich ihre Arbeit im Profifußball verändert hat und warum Sportpsychologie im Frauenfußball teilweise anders angenommen wird. Der Schwerpunkt liegt jedoch auf Langzeitverletzungen. Was passiert mit der sportlichen Identität, wenn Training und Wettkampf plötzlich wegfallen? Warum verlieren Athleten während einer langen Reha manchmal das Vertrauen in ihren eigenen Körper? Und wie kann sich Angst vor einer erneuten Verletzung im Training zeigen? Wir sprechen über den Unterschied zwischen Return to Play und Return to Performance, die Rolle von Stress, Re-Injury-Angst, Motivation und Körpervertrauen sowie über Nathalies Erfahrungen mit einer Langzeitverletztengruppe. Außerdem geht es um eine Frage, die für jedes Medical Team entscheidend ist: Wie können Sportpsychologie, Athletiktraining, Physiotherapie, Medizin, Trainer und Athleten besser zusammenarbeiten? Eine praxisnahe Folge für Athleten, Trainer, Sportwissenschaftler, Athletiktrainer, Physiotherapeuten und alle, die verstehen möchten, was eine ganzheitliche Rehabilitation wirklich bedeutet. Folge Science in Sports für weitere evidenzbasierte Gespräche.

  6. Sep 28

    🇺🇸 #97 Basketball S&C: Julia Wedman on Data, Youth Development & Coaching

    Basketball strength and conditioning, athlete development, training load and coaching philosophy are at the center of this episode of Science in Sports with Julia Wedman. Julia is an assistant strength and conditioning coach at EWE Baskets Oldenburg and also works with the Swedish senior women's national team. Her coaching background spans multiple sports, including basketball, handball, volleyball, football and ice hockey — giving her a particularly broad perspective on performance training. In this conversation, Julia explains how working across different sports has shaped her coaching philosophy, why she doesn't see specialization and broad experience as mutually exclusive, and how she adapts strength and conditioning to athletes at very different stages of development. We also take a behind-the-scenes look at her work in Oldenburg, from individualized training for professional athletes to structured weight-room development for youth players. Julia explains how younger athletes are taught not only how to lift, but also how to become increasingly independent in the weight room. The conversation then moves into the Swedish national team environment, where the challenge is very different: athletes arrive from different clubs with different training loads and levels of fatigue, while the staff has only a short window to prepare for important games. Julia discusses how she uses session RPE, readiness questionnaires, Firstbeat data and conversations with athletes to build a more complete picture of training load and fatigue. We also discuss transferring training ideas between sports, keeping strength and conditioning simple, evaluating social-media trends critically, and why mentorship and experimentation are essential for developing your own coaching philosophy. The episode closes with Julia's philosophy on athlete development: the goal is ultimately to give athletes the tools to become independent. Follow Science in Sports for more evidence-based conversations.

  7. Sep 21

    🇺🇸 #96 Sports Performance, Coaching & Community with Dan Perlmutter

    What does elite sports performance look like inside a university supporting hundreds of student-athletes across multiple sports? In this episode of Science in Sports, Simon Heidenreich speaks with Dan Perlmutter, Director of Athletic Performance at Duke University, about strength and conditioning, sports science, coaching, technology, and the importance of community in athletic development. Dan shares insights from nearly 25 years in the field and reflects on how his role has evolved from being directly involved in many different tasks to helping coaches, specialists, and departments perform at their best. He explains how Duke supports a large number of teams through collaboration, sport-specific expertise, and a flexible approach to programming. The conversation explores the relationship between data and the coach’s eye, including why advanced technology should support—not replace—human observation and communication. Dan discusses how teams can individualize training without creating a completely separate program for every athlete, using information to organize athletes into different training groups and adjust workloads. Simon and Dan also discuss trust, athlete education, self-awareness, and the importance of helping athletes identify their blind spots. Dan explains why communication skills are essential for young strength and conditioning coaches and why athletes need to take responsibility for their own recovery and development. From sport-specific strength training to building a collaborative performance culture, this episode offers practical insights for coaches, sport scientists, strength and conditioning professionals, and ambitious athletes. Follow Science in Sports for more evidence-based conversations.

  8. Sep 14

    🇩🇪 #95 Frauenbasketball, Player Development, WM & WNBA mit Sidney Parsons

    Wie unterscheiden sich WNBA, europäischer und australischer Frauenbasketball? Und was kann Deutschland tun, um Frauenbasketball langfristig professioneller und erfolgreicher zu machen? In dieser Folge von Science in Sports spricht Simon Heidenreich mit Sidney Parsons über ihren außergewöhnlichen Weg vom US-College über Deutschland und Australien bis in die WNBA zu den Golden State Valkyries. Dabei gibt Sidney spannende Einblicke in ihre Arbeit im Player Development, ihre Erfahrungen als Spielerin und Trainerin sowie die Unterschiede zwischen verschiedenen Basketballkulturen. Ein besonderer Schwerpunkt liegt auf der Frage, wie sich Player Development und Belastungssteuerung in einer extrem dichten WNBA-Saison umsetzen lassen. Spiele alle zwei Tage, lange Reisen und unterschiedliche individuelle Belastungen erfordern eine enge Zusammenarbeit zwischen Coaching- und Performance-Team – und gleichzeitig die Fähigkeit, einen vorher geplanten Trainingsplan flexibel anzupassen. Sidney erzählt außerdem, wie sie während ihrer Zeit in Australien begann, Spielerinnen individuell zu trainieren und wie sich daraus ein zentraler Bestandteil ihrer späteren Coaching-Philosophie entwickelte. Im zweiten Teil geht es um die Entwicklung des Frauenbasketballs in Deutschland. Sidney spricht über die wachsende Aufmerksamkeit, die Bedeutung von Social Media und Übertragungen sowie über die Herausforderungen bei Infrastruktur, Hallen und internationalen Wettbewerben. Auch ihre Eindrücke von der Basketball-WM und der Entwicklung des deutschen Frauenbasketballs kommen zur Sprache. Eine Folge über Player Development, Coaching, Belastungssteuerung, internationale Basketballkulturen und die Zukunft des Frauenbasketballs. Folge Science in Sports für weitere evidenzbasierte Gespräche.

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About

Hosted by sports scientist and former professional hockey player Simon Heidenreich, this sports science podcast explores strength training, athletic performance, recovery science, injury prevention, and applied research in sport. Featuring conversations with strength & conditioning coaches, sport scientists, athletes, and medical professionals, the show translates research into practical insights for coaches, athletes, and anyone interested in performance.

Information

  • Creator
    Simon Heidenreich
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    102
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Simon Heidenreich
  • Show Website
    Science in Sports

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