GT Performance Podcast

Zach Guiser
  • 5.0 (3)
  • SPORTS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

A show dedicated to all things long-term athlete development. Learn how to help your athlete get faster, stronger, more explosive, healthier, and prepared for game-day and real-world success. Join Dr. Zach Guiser as we talk about youth sports, sports physical therapy, sports performance training, strength and conditioning, and everything else around long-term athletic development.

  1. 12H AGO

    How to Avoid 95% of Injuries

    In this entry of the Athlete Development Journal, Dr. Zach Guiser provides a framework for maximizing your potential both on and off the field. First, he breaks down the two essential character traits for athletic success: conscientiousness (the discipline for details and hard work) and killer instinct (the ability to compete with ruthless confidence on game day). Next, he dives into the core principles of injury prevention, explaining how 95% of injuries can be avoided through smart load management. Using the analogy of getting a tan versus a sunburn, he illustrates how gradually increasing your body's "load capacity" is the key to staying healthy. He provides a week-by-week template for reverse-engineering your off-season training to prepare for the peak loads of preseason camp. Finally, he encourages you to find your "why"—the guiding purpose that provides clarity, direction, and motivation through the toughest challenges. IN THIS EPISODE: 00:00 - Introduction 00:46 - Train Your Mind: Be a Conscientious Killer 02:27 - Build Your Body: How to Avoid 95% of Injuries 08:38 - Fuel Your Soul: What Is Your "Why"? Everything in these newsletters, podcasts, social media, and on our website is for educational purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice for you or your athlete. Consult directly with a healthcare professional.

    11 min

  2. 6D AGO

    Faster First Step, High Ankle Sprains, Cramps, Exit Velo, and Absolutism.

    In this episode, Zach Guiser and John Tropeano kick off with a look at John's intense preparation for his first full Ironman, detailing the staggering distances involved in the race. They then jump into your questions, providing specific, actionable drills like sled sprints and tall kneel accelerations to improve a basketball player's first-step quickness. The conversation also covers the multifactorial causes of in-game cramping, the most important exercises for developing rotational power for baseball players, and how to manage a high ankle sprain late in the season. This leads to a detailed breakdown of why the injury protocol has evolved from RICE to POLICE. Finally, the discussion takes a philosophical turn, exploring why you should be skeptical of anyone who speaks in absolutes and the challenge of maintaining intellectual honesty in an age of online "gurus". IN THIS EPISODE: 01:21 - What a Full Ironman Race Entails 03:31 - Best Drills to Improve First Step Quickness Before Tryouts 07:04 - The Physics of Shin Angles: How They Make You Faster 09:16 - Why Am I Getting Cramps Even Though I Hydrate Constantly? 11:57 - Off-Season Conditioning to Prevent In-Season Cramps 14:34 - Top 3 Exercises to Increase Bat Speed and Exit Velocity 16:50 - How Much Training Should Be Sport-Specific vs. General? 19:06 - Playing Through a High Ankle Sprain: How to Manage It 23:09 - RICE vs. POLICE: The Modern Way to Treat Acute Injuries 27:50 - Why "Always" and "Never" Are Bad Advice (The Problem with Gurus) 36:46 - The Difference Between a Patella and Knee Dislocation 38:57 - Which Domain is Better: .co or a longer .com?

    41 min

  3. OCT 7

    5 ways to heal faster, the ugliest trait, & what to do for the rest of your life.

    Welcome to the Athlete Development Journal, where Dr. Zach Guiser helps you train your mind, build your body, and fuel your soul. In this entry, Zach starts by tackling the "ugliest trait known to mankind": the victim mindset. He shares a story about an intern and explains why taking "extreme ownership" is the only way to control your own life and success. Next, he provides a complete framework for injury recovery with five actionable steps to heal faster and better. This section covers how to properly protect an injury, manage pain and swelling, the importance of early movement, and how to activate your parasympathetic "rest and digest" system to accelerate recovery. Here's the link to the ice article mentioned in the episode: https://gtperformance.co/%f0%9f%a5%87-is-ice-bad-for-an-injury/ Finally, Zach leaves you with one powerful question from Naval Ravikant to help you find your passion and purpose: "What feels like play to you, but looks like work to others?". IN THIS EPISODE: 00:00 - Introduction to the Athlete Development Journal 00:54 - Train Your Mind: The Ugliest Trait (The Victim Mindset) 02:04 - Build Your Body: 5 Things You Can Do to Heal Faster From Injury 06:50 - Fuel Your Soul: The One Question to Figure Out the Rest of Your Life

    10 min

  4. OCT 2

    Kobe's Secret, "Bambi Mode," Osgood-Schlatter's, and Why I'm Ditching My iPhone

    In this episode, Zach Guiser and John Tropeano kick things off with a deep dive into the negative effects of cell phones and social media, discussing the "Reverse Flynn Effect" and why Zach is switching to a Light Phone. Then, they jump into your questions, starting with how athletes can regain coordination after a major growth spurt. The conversation emphasizes the power of mastering the fundamentals, anchored by an inspiring story about Kobe Bryant's relentless dedication to the basics. They also cover a simple, all-around workout for young multi-sport athletes , how to manage Osgood-Schlatter's knee pain , and the most common mistakes athletes make when trying to bulk up. The episode wraps up with a powerful discussion on how the gym can be a place to build confidence and resilience, especially for athletes who don't get much playing time. IN THIS EPISODE: 00:00 - Kobe's Secret: Never Get Bored with the Basics 00:47 - Why I'm Ditching My iPhone for a Light Phone 12:45 - I Grew 5 Inches and Feel Uncoordinated. What Exercises Can Help? 16:49 - The Full Kobe Bryant Story: Mastering the Fundamentals 21:04 - What Are the Top 5 Lifts for Runners? 23:35 - A Simple Workout for a 10 y/o Soccer Player and 13 y/o Gymnast 29:17 - Can I Play Basketball with Osgood-Schlatter's Knee Pain? 35:14 - Common Mistakes Thinner Athletes Make When Trying to Bulk Up 38:35 - If the Furnace Is Hot Enough, Does It Matter What You Eat? 42:39 - How the Gym Builds Resilience for Athletes Who Sit the Bench This podcast and newsletter is completely free. I spend many hours each week researching, writing, recording, editing, and illustrating. The best way you can support it and allow it to continue is to share it with people you know. You can just send them to ⁠gtperformance.co/newsletter⁠⁠  and they can subscribe there!Everything in these newsletters, podcasts, and on our website is for educational purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice for you or your athlete. Consult directly with a healthcare professional.We're recording another "Ask Me Anything" episode this week. If you have any athlete development, sports performance, rehab, or life questions for me, send them ⁠here!⁠

    48 min

  5. SEP 25

    Finding Your Superpower, Beating Burnout, and Overcoming Injury

    In this episode, Dr. Zach Guiser and John Tropeano dive into some of the most common questions and concerns from young athletes. They tackle the myth that strength training leads to getting bulky and slow , discuss the "Superpowers vs. Kryptonite" framework for athletic development , and offer strategies for managing sport-specific pain, like low back issues in golfers. The conversation also covers the critical topics of athlete burnout, especially in sports like softball , and the mental hurdles of returning to play after a major injury like an ACL tear. Listen for practical advice on training, recovery, and how to have difficult but necessary conversations with coaches and parents. IN THIS EPISODE: 00:34 - Is mass transfer a helpful lifelong class? 02:52 - Will lifting weights make me bulky and slow? 05:21 - How do I get stronger without getting bigger? Should I focus on strength or speed? 05:38 - Superpowers vs. Kryptonite 13:37 - Exercises for a golfer with low back pain 24:15 - How do I tell my coach and dad I'm burned out and need a break? 29:25 - How do I overcome the fear of re-injury after ACL surgery? This podcast and newsletter is completely free. I spend many hours each week researching, writing, recording, editing, and illustrating. The best way you can support it and allow it to continue is to share it with people you know. You can just send them to gtperformance.co/newsletter⁠  and they can subscribe there!Everything in these newsletters, podcasts, and on our website is for educational purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice for you or your athlete. Consult directly with a healthcare professional.We're recording another "Ask Me Anything" episode this week. If you have any athlete development, sports performance, rehab, or life questions for me, send them here!

    36 min

  6. SEP 11

    AMA: Zach's starting a school?, how to recover when you can't sleep 8 hours per night, and more.

    Ask questions for the next episode here! 00:00 The Future of Education: AI-Powered Schools 02:41 Exploring Alternative School Models 05:53 Performance Training for Dual-Sport Athletes 08:31 Strength Training and Athletic Performance 11:47 Managing Training for Young Athletes 14:43 Recognizing Overuse Injuries in Young Athletes 17:52 The Importance of Recovery and Sleep 20:47 Practical Recovery Strategies for Busy Athletes 40:46 The Importance of Sleep and Recovery 43:00 Understanding the Autonomic Nervous System 44:24 Breathing Techniques for Recovery 45:26 Balancing College Life and Sleep 46:42 The Role of Wearable Technology in Sleep Tracking 51:45 Nutrition and Body Image in Young Athletes 56:26 Relative Strength and Performance 01:03:50 Trends in Athletic Performance Metrics 01:06:32 Managing Performance Fluctuations 01:10:19 Mental Strategies for Game Day Pressure 01:17:55 Nutrition Strategies for High-Intensity Events

    1h 21m

  7. AUG 23

    Never get caught from behind again: max velocity fundamentals.

    Submit questions for our next AMA episode here: https://forms.gle/P73NT3UA6AhMs46u9 00:00 Introduction to Max Velocity Training 01:24 Understanding Max Velocity Mechanics 03:08 The Importance of Elastic Force in Sprinting 05:09 Transitioning from Acceleration to Max Velocity 06:12 Key Objectives for Max Velocity 07:58 Negative Foot Speed Explained 08:53 Applying Force at the Correct Angle 10:58 Foot Placement and Stride Mechanics 13:05 Backside vs. Frontside Mechanics 14:49 The Kinogram Method for Sprint Analysis 22:59 Reframing Life's Bugs as Features The full Altis Kinogram article can be found here: https://simplifaster.com/articles/altis-kinogram-method/

    26 min

  8. APR 18

    Game Speed: How to Accelerate Faster with Science

    Subscribe to the newsletter at gtperformance.co/newsletter. In this episode of the GT Performance Podcast, Dr. Zach Guiser dives deep into the science of speed training, focusing on acceleration as a critical component for athletes. He discusses the importance of applying force effectively, the nuances between acceleration and max velocity, and practical techniques to enhance performance. The conversation also touches on the impact of technology on mental health and the importance of fostering community and connection in today's digital age. 00:00Introduction to the Game Speed Series02:18Understanding acceleration in sprinting05:43Key components of acceleration13:08Rate of force development17:30Directing force25:33Let's run that all back27:41Short form content is ruining our lives

    26 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

A show dedicated to all things long-term athlete development. Learn how to help your athlete get faster, stronger, more explosive, healthier, and prepared for game-day and real-world success. Join Dr. Zach Guiser as we talk about youth sports, sports physical therapy, sports performance training, strength and conditioning, and everything else around long-term athletic development.

Information

  • Creator
    Zach Guiser
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2025
  • Episodes
    20
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Zach Guiser
  • Show Website
    GT Performance Podcast

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