Steph Mock, Assistant AD for Sports Performance at the University of Pittsburgh is on this week's episode of the Pacey Performance Podcast. Steph traced her journey from high school sports to a collegiate volleyball career at West Virginia University. She later transitioned into strength conditioning, working at Clemson University and Mississippi State University, before returning to her alma mater. Her mentors, especially Rick Franzblau, played a crucial role in her professional development.
The discussion turns to the experience of being a woman in the predominantly male field of strength and conditioning. Steph highlights the importance of viewing the role as one of leadership, emphasizing skills such as relationship building and managing complex situations, which are gender-neutral. She acknowledges the influence of female leaders within the University of Pittsburgh, including the Chancellor and the Athletic Director, in her career development. This segment underscores the evolution in the field, where gender is becoming less of a defining factor in defining one's leadership and professional capabilities.
A significant portion of the podcast is devoted to the topic of microdosing in training, particularly its application in collegiate sports. Steph delves into her first exposure to the concept at a conference in 2018 and how it influenced her approach to training the volleyball team at the University of Pittsburgh. She explains how microdosing, or splitting training sessions into shorter, more frequent sessions, is particularly effective for in-season training. This approach helps to navigate the constraints of athletes’ schedules, including practices, competitions, and academic commitments. She emphasizes that this methodology allows for more focused, specific stimulus in training sessions, aiding in better preparation and recovery for athletes. The adoption of microdosing was already in place at the University of Pittsburgh, thanks to the head volleyball coach, making it easier for Steph to implement and enhance the practice.
If you're looking to introduce micro dosing into your programming, check out this episode with Steph.
Main talking points:
#Bitesize - The value of injury screening with Nicol van Dyk
Optimising strength and conditioning for combat athletes with Duncan French, Danny Wilson and Rhys Ingram
Working in women’s football: Injury prevention, game demands and menstrual cycle tracking
Developing a more aggressive approach to hamstring injury rehabilitation with Tim Parham
Maximising the use of asymmetry data for profiling, rehab and fatigue monitoring with Chris Bishop
#Bitesize - Using the anaerobic speed reserve to ”bucket” an athlete group’s conditioning with Phil Scott
Maximising performance, managing fatigue and optimising recovery in American Football with Marc Lewis
How to implement micro-dosing strategies in team sports with Matt Cuthbert
The evolution of American Football training and its impact on all collision sports with Kurt Hester
Using collaboration and smart data collection to enhance the transfer of training with Dan Tobin and Dan Grange
Using a fascia based approach to performance training and rehabilitation with Danny Foley
#Bitesize - ”Activation” sessions - Do they do what we think/hope they do with Tony Blazevich
How to successfully navigate scientific research and apply the information to your athletes with JB Morin
#Bitesize - Working with José Mourinho and providing useful training load insights with Robin Thorpe
The application of isometric strength training and testing: Views of the experts with Alex Natera, Matt Taberner and Danny Lum
Understanding what maximises training transfer through intelligent data collection with Nick Lumley
#Bitesize - How to choose the most effective footwear for injury prevention with Athol Thomson
Being the “manager’s guy” and the realities of losing your job in pro sport with Jordan Milsom
#Bitesize - What is the hype around the knees over toes split squat with Nathan Kiely
An in-depth look at a league winning performance department with Leigh Egger & Stijn Vandenbroucke
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