Advertise on podcast: Down the Rabbit Hole

Send us Fan Mail Going from sweeping floors to running performance for an NHL franchise doesn’t happen by accident. I sat down with Jake Jensen, Head Strength and Conditioning Coach for the Seattle Kraken, to unpack the real story behind a “made it” career: mentorship, obsessive learning, and the kind of integrity that holds up when everyone wants something from the athlete. Jake walks through his early years in college football, the tech stack that shaped his coaching eye (OmegaWave, Catapult, readiness tracking), and the mentors who pushed him toward deeper sport science. We also get into his Russian language background from a mission in Ukraine and how that unexpectedly connected him to the roots of Soviet training literature, translation work with Yosef, and the ideas most coaches reference without truly understanding. Then we bring it to the ice. Jake explains why competition has to be the backbone of a training model in pro hockey, how team sports behave like complex systems, and what “testing” actually looks like when you’re making decisions after games and on the road. We talk lactate-guided recovery, velocity checks that keep lifting honest, and why some “recovery” habits can quietly make players worse. We finish with the part that rarely gets discussed: the people side. Jake shares how he communicates hard truths, bridges coach-player tension, and uses sports science to tell the truth without torching trust. If you care about hockey performance, strength and conditioning, athlete monitoring, and coaching leadership, this one will stick with you. Subscribe, share it with a coach or athlete, and leave a review with the biggest takeaway you’re applying next. Article - A System of Concurrent Training for Team Sports: Anatoliy P. Bondarchuk and Michael Yessis Support the show

Send us Fan Mail A four-year-old “breathing fire” to escape a closed guard sounds like chaos until you see the coaching underneath it. We’re joined by Ellee Beckman, owner of Art of Coaching and a Brazilian jiu-jitsu coach on Australia’s Sunshine Coast, to talk about teaching kids with a constraints-led approach that actually respects child development. If you coach youth sports, run a kids martial arts program, or care about motor learning, this conversation will challenge how you think about “instruction” and what real skill looks like under pressure. We dig into how Allie moved from early childhood education into jiu-jitsu, why she and her partner built their academy around ecological dynamics, and what happens when parents ask for specific techniques instead of better learning. We also get practical about the cultural friction: some adults love games-based training, others want direct instruction, and kids programs can get pulled toward a win-at-all-costs mindset if you let it. The most useful section might be her method for making concepts stick through storytelling and simple analogies, as well as how she scales games for four- and five-year-olds using Parten’s stages of play. We break down brain breaks, 30-minute class design, safer takedown cues, and how to adjust constraints across age groups without losing the thread of good jiu-jitsu. If you’ve ever wondered how to build confident, creative kids who can problem-solve on the mats, you’ll leave with ideas you can use immediately. Subscribe, share this with a coach or parent, and leave a review with the best coaching cue you’ve heard lately. The Art of Coaching Community Games-Based Coaching Support the show

Send us Fan Mail I’m back from a short hiatus with a field report from the Emergence Movement Conference, where debates replace slides and coaches actually talk face to face. I lay out why the real argument underneath ecological dynamics is capacity versus transfer, and why the athlete’s individual bottlenecks decide what works.  • why the Emergence conference format creates better conversations than social media  • ecological dynamics explained through perception-action coupling and constraints  • why I think “it depends” beats one true training system  • capacity versus transfer as the hidden core of most coaching arguments  • a sprint start case study using timing and coordination work  • organism constraints like proprioception, vestibular input, and ocular motor control  • why right-left confusion can signal neurological organisation issues  • when general vision training helps and when it hits a ceiling  • primitive reflex integration and “basement” work as a bridge to better sport practice  • combine prep, game speed, and why pro athletes often avoid live drills  If you guys have any more questions, you want to learn more about the seminar, reach out to me Support the show

Send us Fan Mail If you’ve ever watched an athlete dominate in games while looking average in the weight room, Paul Gagné has an explanation that cuts deeper than “talent.” We’re talking about posturology: how the brain uses vision, the vestibular system, and foot pressure to place your centre of mass before you ever push into the ground. When that system is organised, speed and skill feel effortless. When it’s not, you can train hard and still leak power, recover poorly, and get hurt at the worst moment. We dig into eye convergence, VOR drills, and why a simple figure eight pattern can shift posture fast enough to change a training session. Paul breaks down anterior scapular plane and how it shows up in hockey as weaker first steps, skating on the toe of the blade, and a head down style that kills awareness. He shares how he uses force plates, lasers, and quick sensory inputs to open a “window” where athletes learn and lift in a better position. Then we go practical and a little wild: white pucks and even golf balls on the ice to train soft hands and peripheral vision, plus a PGA Tour story where a major champion uses eye exercises under pressure. We also connect posture to breathing mechanics, diaphragm function, hypoxia and CO2 tolerance training, and how better breath control can restore calm focus between shifts. If you care about sports performance, hockey training, injury prevention, or the science of posture and breathing, you’ll leave with tools you can test today. Subscribe, share this with a coach or teammate, and leave a review with the one drill you want to try first. Support the show

Send us Fan Mail What if movement was your first language? We sit down with Jesse Danger—coach, builder, and founder of The Movement Creative—to explore how parkour can turn a city into a classroom and frustration into the felt sense of learning. From a rough ride through school to discovering parkour as a pathway to agency, Jesse shares the frameworks and stories that helped him build one of New York’s most innovative movement communities without a permanent gym. We dig into a practical coaching model shaped by two axes—autonomy and complexity—moving through drill, exploration, challenge, and game. You’ll hear how this structure helps students manage difficulty, navigate fear, and stay curious, whether they’re learning a precision jump or rethinking how they approach any skill. Jesse also unpacks the idea of parkour vision, the mindset that transforms benches, ledges, and stairwells into opportunities. Along the way, we talk mental health, resilience, and why celebrating effort over performance changes the culture in classrooms, teams, and families. Beyond philosophy, this is a builder’s story. Jesse explains how his team designed modular equipment for tight city spaces, launched weatherproof roaming classes, and partnered with schools to bring movement into PE and after‑school—then adapted during the pandemic with QR‑coded park challenges to shift how people see their neighborhoods. We even touch on a signature “impossible” challenge—backwards-crawling the Empire State by proxy—and the new parkour game card deck that turns hard‑earned pedagogy into playful, ready‑to‑run sessions for coaches and parents. If you care about movement education, youth programs, urban design, or just seeing your environment with fresh eyes, this conversation will give you tools you can use today. Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs a spark, and leave a review to tell us: what challenge are you ready to embrace next? Support the show

Send us Fan Mail We explore how left-right brain asymmetry explains autism, ADHD types, dyslexia, immune quirks, and gut issues, and how movement, sensory training, and targeted nutrition create real change. Dr. Ty Melillo shares his path from test subject to clinician, with nuanced takes on meds, EQ, and environment. • mapping autism and dyslexia to hemispheric dominance • task avoidance as fear-driven EQ strength • vestibular, ocular, and proprioceptive training for regulation • chiropractic for parasympathetic tone and movement • inattentive vs hyperactive ADHD and better school testing • neuroimmunology links to eczema, IBS, histamine • nutrition, serotonin, fish oil, and microbiome balance • when stimulants help and when they backfire • tech, light, and nature-shaped environments Please give us a like, share, and subscribe Support the show

Send us Fan Mail What if your athletes actually got better at the game instead of just better at drills? That’s the question we chase with Coach Javi Miller Estrada—co‑founder of Ignite Performance, team member at Emergence, and host of the Adaptable Athlete Podcast. We unpack how ecological dynamics and a constraints‑led approach help athletes perceive what matters, set clear intentions, and discover solutions that hold up under real pressure. No fluff, no guru talk—just practical ways to make training look, feel, and transfer like sport. Javi explains why “roll the ball out” is a myth and how the coach’s job actually gets more intentional: design representative tasks, scale constraints, and guide attention without over‑prescribing mechanics. From quarterbacks who crumble under constant internal cues to basketball players stuck on beef-era shooting rules, we explore how focusing on perception and problem solving creates robust attractors—multiple effective ways to win the same play. You’ll hear concrete examples: live, opposed football work that replaces empty indy periods; jiu-jitsu progressions that bridge drilling and sparring; and simple tweaks athletes can use when team practice is still stuck on rote patterns. We also step into the messy, rewarding reality of coaching as a business. Javi shares straight‑shooting advice on parent education, testing for validation without losing the “game speed” focus, and hiring coaches who care enough to keep learning. His Modern Coach’s Planner was built for that purpose—session design, debriefs, athlete notes, and bite‑size explanations of key concepts that turn curiosity into consistent action. If you want athletes who adapt instead of memorize, who can win routes in many ways and solve problems at full speed, this conversation gives you the blueprint. Listen, take notes, and try one change this week: make a drill more representative, set a clearer intention, or remove one unnecessary cue. Then tell us how it went. Subscribe, share with a coach who needs this, and leave a review so more people can find it. Support the show

Send us Fan Mail Two coaches at the sharp end of elite sport pull back the curtain on how speed really gets built. We sit down with Olympic sprint and jumps coach Randy Huntington and Exogen’s Joseph DeSetti to unpack the methods, measurements, and micro-loads that turn good movers into great performers—safely. Randy walks us through his global journey: rebuilding Chinese track and field with timing systems, load-velocity profiling, and individualized technique, then carrying those lessons into the NFL with athletes like Christian McCaffrey. The big reveal is deceptively simple: proprioception before load, technique before intensity, and measurement before judgment. You’ll hear how mini hurdles, activator belts, and wearable resistance create “compliance” so athletes feel front-side mechanics, fix high heel recovery, and apply real force into the ground. We go practical and specific. Learn how placing grams on thighs or calves changes torque and awareness, why many pros are strong in the weight room yet weak in key patterns, and how to progress from drills to sprinting without spiking soft-tissue risk. Randy shares a step-by-step logic for acceleration and max-velocity coaching, including when he refuses to load calves, how he resolved years of Achilles pain in days using tools and microcurrent, and why finishing sessions light locks in clean movement. The conversation widens to return-to-play and water-based solutions, from deep-water running with targeted loads to building tendon capacity with simple skipping. Joe explains the “assistive vs resistive” framework and why acclimatization over four to eight weeks is non-negotiable at high speed. Throughout, the message stays grounded: no single method wins; a complete, measured toolbox and coach humility do. If this episode reframes how you think about speed, share it with a coach or teammate who needs it. Subscribe for more candid, high-level conversations, and leave a review with the one coaching shift you’ll make this week. Support the show

Send us Fan Mail What if posture isn’t about “standing up straight,” but about how your brain reads the world through your feet and eyes? We sit down with Dr. Bernard Bricot—orthopedic surgeon and pioneer of posturology—to rethink back pain, performance, and the myths that keep people stuck. Instead of chasing symptoms or relying on phasic muscles to fix a tonic job, we examine posture as a sensory integration problem: the nervous system blends signals from the foot’s ultra-sensitive skin, the extraocular muscles, and the vestibular system to set tone and organize movement against gravity. We dig into why tonic muscles quietly do the heavy lifting, why frequency-based foot stimulation can recruit better support than rigid inserts, and why testing eye convergence all the way to the bridge of the nose reveals asymmetries most exams miss. You’ll hear how disharmonic feet can tilt the pelvis, load L5-S1, and ripple through the thoracic spine and C2—patterns that return unless the upstream sensors are addressed. Fascia takes center stage as the tissue that “locks in” bias, explaining chronic, recurring misalignments and why gentle, ongoing sensory inputs can override those fixations more reliably than forceful adjustments or isolated stretching. We also tackle the genetics debate with an epigenetic perspective: uncorrected sensory imbalances may echo across generations, which reframes prevention as early, sensory-aware care rather than late-stage correction. Along the way, we challenge the “correlation isn’t causation” refrain by highlighting silent lesions—objective tissue changes that exist without pain—and how relying on symptoms alone misguides treatment. If you’ve tried posture drills without lasting change, this conversation offers a clearer map: assess the feet, test true convergence, tune tonic support, and let the nervous system reorganize from the ground and the gaze up. If this rethink resonates, follow the show, share it with a friend who’s battling stubborn back pain, and leave a review with your biggest aha—what part of your chain do you think starts the story? Support the show

Send us Fan Mail What if the fastest path to better performance isn’t more sets and reps, but becoming more human first? We close out the year by unpacking the ideas that changed our training and our lives: primitive reflexes that still shape adult movement, posture as a whole-body strategy, and the feet as powerful sensory hubs that influence pain, speed, and power. It’s a candid look at what worked, what didn’t, and how we’re refining everything for a stronger year ahead. We dive into the difference between exercise and movement and why the brain grows through varied, playful practice. You’ll hear how parkour, roughhousing, and nature-based challenges brought joy back to training, why consistency in sleep and light hygiene drives nervous system health, and how local food and water quality affect performance more than most programs admit. We revisit standout conversations on transfer of training and motor learning, connecting high-level sport ideas to daily practice in clear, actionable ways. Two frameworks anchor the recap. From Rafe Kelly, a culture of practice built on play, presence, nature, connection, and community. From Ido Portal, a simple method for any problem: isolate, integrate, improvise. Layer that onto our core lens—humans first, movers second, specialists third—and you get a roadmap that ends arguments and starts progress. Whether you’re a coach, clinician, or curious mover, you’ll leave with tools to assess what matters, fix constraints at the root, and build a body that learns fast and performs under stress. If this resonated, share it with a friend, subscribe, and drop a review. Tell us which topic you want explored next or who you want to hear from, and we’ll chase it down together. Support the show

Send us Fan Mail If you’ve ever been told your squat is “wrong,” this conversation will change how you think about movement, pain, and coaching. We sit down with author and Feldenkrais practitioner Todd Hargrove to connect three big ideas: how humans evolved to move, how babies develop skill without coaching, and how pain reshapes the brain’s map of the body. The result is a refreshing framework for training that values awareness, variability, and play over rigid cues and one-size-fits-all fixes. Todd breaks down Feldenkrais as “structured baby play”—slow, mindful lessons that compare different versions of the same movement so your nervous system can feel what works. We dig into why chronic pain often dulls proprioception, how left–right discrimination reveals smudged cortical maps, and how graded motor imagery and simple sensory drills can redraw those maps. Instead of chasing a single corrective, Todd shows how to create learning environments where solutions emerge from exploration, not command-and-control coaching. We also zoom out to the evolutionary blueprint: millions of years of climbing shaped our shoulders, and every child’s instinct to crawl, hang, roll, and squat is nature’s curriculum. Todd explains transfer—why some fundamentals like squatting and hanging support many tasks, while hyper-specific drills don’t—and why playful, variable practice sticks better than repetitive “work.” Along the way, we compare top-down information-processing models with ecological dynamics, land on a practical middle ground, and draw a clear line between complicated problems you fix like a bike and complex ones you grow like a garden. If you want to move with less pain and more skill, this is a roadmap: correct less, notice more, and make training feel like an adventure. Subscribe, share with a friend who needs a fresh take on pain and performance, and leave a review with one playful drill you’ll try this week. Support the show

Send us Fan Mail What if our modern discomfort, anxiety, and health challenges stem from lack of connection and forgetting what it means to move like a human? In this fascinating conversation, movement pioneer Rafe Kelly reveals how our disconnection from natural movement has profound consequences on our development. Rafe explains how our brains evolved primarily to control movement, not just abstract thought. Drawing from evolutionary biology, anthropology, philosophy, and neuroscience, he presents a compelling case for why movement isn't just exercise—it's a fundamental nutrient our bodies and minds require. Even our metaphorical language reveals this connection: we speak of being "grounded" in reality or "in touch" with our emotions, unconsciously acknowledging our sensory-motor roots. The discussion explores fascinating topics like the difference between Type 1 athleticism (speed, power, jumping) versus Type 2 athleticism (coordination, precision, skill), explaining why some physically unimpressive athletes dominate their sports. Rafe shares eye-opening research on rough-and-tumble play, revealing how wrestling and physical play activate unique brain pathways that develop empathy, boundary-setting, and social regulation. Parents will appreciate his practical insights on how proper physical play helps children calibrate their emotional responses to conflict. As technology eliminates discomfort from our lives, Rafe argues we're inadvertently removing the very challenges that help develop resilience and embodied wisdom. His vision for movement education prioritizes activities with high "donor potential"—parkour, gymnastics, dance, team sports, and martial arts—that transfer effectively to other movement domains. Whether you're a coach, parent, or someone seeking deeper physical literacy, this conversation will transform how you understand human movement and its role in our development. Discover why reconnecting with our evolutionary heritage might be exactly what we need to thrive in the modern world. Support the show

Send us Fan Mail Fitness doesn't have to mean treadmills and weight machines. What if it meant solving movement problems instead? Shelby Copeland takes us on a journey that challenges everything we thought we knew about exercise. As the founder of Force of Nature Movement in Madison, Wisconsin, she's pioneering an approach to physical activity that focuses on skill acquisition rather than conventional fitness metrics. What makes Shelby's perspective particularly refreshing is her own unconventional path. Until age 25, she lived a sedentary lifestyle plagued by chronic pain. A humbling experience surfing with a friend twenty years her senior sparked her curiosity about movement. "What do I need to do to be ready to have adventures?" became the question that transformed her life. Through MoveNat, parkour, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, rock climbing, and ninja training, Shelby discovered that movement could be about solving problems rather than performing exercises. This realization forms the core of her teaching philosophy today, where she helps people of all ages reconnect with natural movement patterns in unconventional spaces like parks, playgrounds, and libraries. The most captivating aspect of Shelby's work is her "Parkour for Seniors" program. Working alongside physical and occupational therapists, she guides older adults through playground-based movement challenges that improve balance, coordination, and confidence. The joy on participants' faces as they navigate obstacles and learn to manage the fear of falling speaks volumes about the program's impact. Whether teaching children through exploratory play or helping seniors rediscover their physical capabilities, Shelby's approach centers on "challenge by choice" – allowing people to select their own level of risk and difficulty. This creates sustainable motivation and builds genuine movement confidence that extends beyond the gym walls. Ready to rethink your relationship with movement? Listen now to discover how natural, skill-based movement might be the missing piece in your fitness journey – regardless of your age or experience level. https://www.instagram.com/force_of_nature_movement/ Support the show

Send us Fan Mail Step into the unseen athletic world of NASCAR with Chad Emmons, strength and conditioning coach for Haas Factory Team. In this eye-opening conversation, Chad reveals how his journey from college football led him to the high-stakes world of racing—a sport he once dismissed as "just turning left." NASCAR's physical demands will surprise even seasoned sports fans. Pit crews change four tires in under 10 seconds while handling 75-pound wheels and 95-pound fuel cans. Drivers endure 5+ hours of constant vibration and G-forces that wreak havoc on their vestibular systems. It's an athletic challenge requiring specialized training methods that Chad has pioneered by integrating cutting-edge neurological approaches. You'll discover how the grueling 44-week NASCAR season shapes training programs that must adapt weekly to different tracks, weather conditions, and the physical toll of constant travel. Chad explains how he implements visual training, vestibular conditioning, and posturology principles to optimize performance for both drivers and pit crew members—innovations that initially raised eyebrows but have proven effective in this high-precision sport. Whether you're a racing enthusiast or simply curious about human performance at its limits, this conversation reveals the extraordinary athletic demands hidden beneath NASCAR's surface. The next time you watch cars "just turning left," you'll see it through entirely new eyes. Support the show

Send us Fan Mail Anna Bezuglova, founder of Bamboo Body in Barcelona, shares her transformative journey studying under Ido Portal for 11 years and explains how movement practice addresses the whole person beyond just physical fitness. She articulates a profound philosophy where movement serves as the foundation for developing cognitive, emotional, and physical capacities simultaneously. • Movement isn't something you do for an hour at the gym—it's the only medium through which we interact with the world • The Western dichotomy of body-mind separation is harmful and neglects our fundamental physicality • Physical movement connects cognitive and emotional experiences, allowing us to observe otherwise unconscious processes • A versatile movement practice offers alternatives when injury or limitation prevents specific activities • Good teachers work to make themselves obsolete by developing students' capacity to learn independently • Different roles exist: instructors show techniques, trainers create processes, coaches motivate, teachers transform, mentors guide long-term • Using movement as the primary vehicle for transformation works because it's concrete and observable • True transformation is deliberate rather than accidental, measuring yourself against what you could become • Bamboo Body works with diverse clients from IT professionals to grandmothers to professional athletes • Soviet sports science produced valuable insights but often at the expense of individual well-being Visit bamboo-body.com to learn more about Anna's approach to movement education and find her social media for demonstrations of these principles in action. Support the show