Welcome back to the Sam Portland Podcast, where we go beyond surface-level programming and break down how speed is actually developed.
In this episode, we build on last week’s discussion around adaptation and intensity and introduce a critical (and often misunderstood) concept:
Conjugate Sequencing.
Most coaches struggle with one core problem:
👉 How do you progress intensity without destroying athletes or stalling adaptation?
This episode explains how to structure extensive and intensive training methods, layer different loading strategies, and apply former Soviet concepts (Verkhoshansky) to modern speed training.
You’ll learn:
• Why most training stays stuck in the “general” zone
• How conjugate sequencing solves the intensity problem
• Extensive vs intensive speed methods (clearly explained)
• How to progress acceleration without killing max velocity
• Why heavy resisted work must replace—not add to—earlier methods
• How to structure 6–9 week speed blocks using the law of accommodation
• Why speed itself is the metric that defines intensity
If you coach speed for team sports and want clarity, structure, and real transfer, this session will change how you plan training.
⸻
⏱️ Timestamps
0:00 – Intro & lesson overview
0:10 – Why intensity progression confuses most coaches
0:32 – The danger of living in “general” training
1:16 – Introducing conjugate sequencing
1:33 – Soviet training origins and Verkhoshansky’s influence
2:11 – Why gradual intensity steps are hard to create
2:26 – Senior vs youth athlete intensity strategies
3:03 – Extensive vs intensive training explained
3:49 – Speed examples: tempo vs maximal work
4:27 – Applying conjugate sequencing to acceleration
4:53 – Learn, Load, Execute in practice
5:13 – Law of accommodation and block sequencing
5:36 – A simple 9-week speed progression example
6:12 – Why heavy resisted work doesn’t equal max velocity
6:39 – Extensive wall drills and early acceleration work
7:02 – When to remove extensive work
7:19 – Heavy resisted vs light resisted acceleration
7:43 – Why speed defines intensity
8:08 – Practical weekly programming task
8:40 – Measuring progress through first-step explosiveness
8:49 – What’s coming next week
⸻
🔗 Links
📘 The Sports Speed System
https://www.speedbysportland.com/sportsspeedsystembook
⚡ Join the £9 Legacy Mastermind
https://www.speedbysportland.com/legacy-mastermind-home
Welcome back to another solo podcast where we strip away the noise and get to the truth about adaptation, intensity, and real speed development.
In today’s episode, we unpack one of the BIGGEST reasons athletes fail to get faster:
👉 Trying to engineer specific outcomes with non-specific training.
Coaches everywhere fall into the trap of:
Over-analysing general strength work
Over-emphasising exercises that don’t transfer
Ignoring the Law of Accommodation
Forgetting the principle of specificity
And chasing “strength → power → speed” instead of “speed → power → strength”
This session will change how you program forever.
You’ll learn:
🔥 Why the upstream effect from strength → speed is massively overestimated
🔥 Why SPEED drives power and strength (not the other way around)
🔥 How to use the 21-day adaptation rule properly
🔥 Why soreness destroys continuity and speed development
🔥 How to apply specific strength for acceleration using band-loaded mechanics
🔥 The Learn → Load → Execute model for guaranteed progress
🔥 How to engineer positive adaptations without hamstring carnage
If you’re serious about developing speed in field sport athletes… this is essential viewing.
⏱️ Timestamps
0:00 – Intro
0:01 – Why coaches obsess over the wrong things
0:35 – The SNC industry’s biggest mistake
1:10 – The cost of non-specific training
1:48 – General vs specific speed
2:11 – Why upstream strength → speed adaptation is a myth
2:55 – The REAL order: Speed → Power → Strength
3:33 – How to ask better programming questions
4:00 – The Law of Accommodation (21-day rule)
4:46 – The truth about soreness and early adaptations
5:16 – Why general lifts rarely transfer
5:54 – Using specificity to create real speed adaptations
6:30 – Avoiding negative adaptation in team sports
7:05 – Why chasing strength PRs ruins in-season performance
7:43 – The importance of continuity
8:00 – How to adjust training every 14–21 days
8:40 – Applying this to acceleration (specific strength example)
9:12 – The power of the Learn → Load → Execute model
9:49 – How to load banded single-leg patterns correctly
10:30 – Why specific strength increases base strength anyway
10:57 – What’s coming in future masterclasses
🔗 Useful Links
📘 Get The Sports Speed System Book
https://www.speedbysportland.com/the-sports-speed-system
⚡ Join the Legacy Mastermind (£9/month)
https://www.speedbysportland.com/legacy-mastermind-home
🔗 Useful Links
In this episode, Sam sits down with elite speed coach and former US Army Ranger Jud Linhard for one of the most raw, insightful conversations ever recorded on speed training, coaching, coiling, athletic development and the realities of performance.
From inappropriate posters in rugby gyms to elite military preparation, biomechanics, rotational forces, coiling, speed skill development, and the truth about social media and coaching… this episode goes everywhere.
If you coach speed or want to understand what REALLY makes athletes fast, this conversation will change the way you think forever.
What Judd and Sam dive into
• Why speed is a skill, not just genetics
• The biggest misconceptions coaches have about speed
• Coiling, rotational mechanics and why linear running is not linear
• The difference between force production and force application
• Why elite sprinters don’t look like Hollywood soldiers
• The truth about deceleration and cutting mechanics
• How to train speed safely as you age
• Why resisted sprints often come before top speed work
• How social media changed Jud’s life and coaching career
• What makes content actually work in 2025
• Why athletes need to earn the right to run fast
• Why simplicity beats complexity every single time
If you’re a coach, athlete or performance nerd who cares about speed, mechanics and athletic development, this episode is loaded with insights.
⏱️ TIMESTAMPS
0:00 – The story that was NOT meant to start the podcast
1:18 – Why humour gets you destroyed in pro sport
2:08 – Welcome Jud Linhard
3:01 – Jud’s small-town upbringing and early influences
4:04 – From bodybuilding to the US Army
4:47 – Deployments, Ranger Regiment and the truth about soldier fitness
6:07 – Why most people misunderstand military preparation
7:05 – Operators, injuries and longevity
8:15 – Why Hollywood gets soldiers completely wrong
10:00 – Aerobic base and the real demands of soldiering
11:42 – Why big muscle often hurts performance
12:52 – Strength vs athleticism
14:00 – Jud’s jump into coaching and speed training
15:15 – The biggest misconceptions coaches have about speed
17:06 – Force production vs force application
18:30 – Why relaxation is a speed superpower
19:55 – Long accelerations and why they work
21:02 – How Jud evaluates athletes
22:35 – Why resisted sprints come BEFORE full-speed
23:45 – Earn the right to run fast
25:00 – How Jud trains himself as an ageing athlete
27:00 – Submax sprinting and drills for durability
29:10 – Easy speed and why submax wins
30:04 – Do athletes need to be maximally fast for team sport
31:40 – Deceleration myths and why context matters
33:45 – Cutting mechanics and injury risk
35:20 – Understanding coiling and rotation
36:40 – Why tall posture is a myth
38:15 – How speed ACTUALLY works
40:10 – Pulsers, arm swing and force
42:00 – Why upper body matters for sprinting
44:01 – Cross-pattern flows and movement sequencing
46:00 – Stability before mobility
47:45 – How social media changed Jud’s life and career
49:15 – Hooks, attention and how to post without feeling like a sellout
50:50 – Why clarity beats complexity
51:40 – Where to find Jud
52:15 – Outro
Follow Jud:
Instagram: @judlinhard
Website: search Jud Linhard
Sam’s Links:
The Sports Speed System
https://www.speedbysportland.com/sportsspeedsystembook
Legacy Coaching Group
https://www.speedbysportland.com/legacy-mastermind-home
Thanks for watching. What was the biggest insight you got from Judd today?
The bit that hit me hardest was how he explained the difference between FORCE PRODUCTION and FORCE APPLICATION.
Most coaches never separate the two — and that’s exactly why their athletes stop improving.
Drop your biggest takeaway below. I read every comment and reply personally.
If you want more episodes diving into REAL speed development, biomechanics and coaching clarity, subscribe and hit the notification bell. Big guests coming soon.
— Sam
Confused coaches create confused clients — and confused clients don’t buy.
This episode breaks down EXACTLY how to build a coaching business that is clear, scalable and flexible in the new 2025 landscape.
Strength & Conditioning has changed forever.
Gym culture has exploded, performance training is mainstream, and more S&C coaches are stepping into business, consulting, remote coaching and hybrid models than ever before.
In today’s episode, Sam reveals:
🔥 What makes a coaching offer actually sell in 2025🎯
• The 3-part structure: Goal → Structure → Accountability
• How to stop overwhelming clients with complexity
• Why cheap “headache clients” kill your business
• The new reality in pro sport — and why more coaches are leaving full-time roles
• How micro-products, PDFs, portals and memberships create stability
• Why remote coaching needs independent thinkers, not babysitting
You’ll also hear the story of Sam’s first ever online client in 2009 (before online coaching even existed), and how that simple experience spawned the offer structures he uses today for coaches, athletes and high-performance leaders.
If you’re a coach who wants more clarity, more income, and more freedom — this episode is for you.
📌 JOIN THE £9 LEGACY MASTERMIND
A low-friction community for S&C coaches who want:
• Better leadership
• Business systems
• Professional growth
• A supportive network
⏱️ Timestamps
0:00 – Confused coaches = confused clients
0:20 – The industry is changing fast (and opportunities are exploding)
0:35 – Why coaches are leaving pro sport
1:15 – Sam’s 2009 story: his first online program
2:00 – What makes an offer actually work
2:35 – The 3-part offer structure (Goal, Structure, Accountability)
3:25 – How the £9 Legacy Mastermind was built
4:10 – Why accountability drives results
4:45 – Problem-aware vs solution-aware clients
5:15 – The online coaching trap most coaches fall into
6:00 – Headache clients (avoid at all costs)
6:40 – Why remote coaching must be simple
7:15 – The truth about business gurus and “one offer”
7:55 – Why hobbyist clients won’t spend
8:20 – The hidden power of micro-programs and PDFs
9:15 – How to blend results, clarity, and client independence
10:30 – Why your check-in process is losing you time
11:30 – How to attract high-quality remote clients
12:10 – Execution > ideas (the real differentiator)
12:45 – How Sam scaled after getting fired
13:30 – Final advice: take action today
In today’s episode, Sam sits down with Dorothy Hummel, one of the most advanced human performance practitioners in the world — specialising in neurogenetics, biochemistry, neurochemistry, behaviour, and brain-body performance integration.Most coaches focus on strength, conditioning, marginal gains, recovery tools, or mental skills — but Dorothy reveals why none of it works optimally unless you understand the brain’s biochemical blueprint.This conversation will fundamentally change how you think about: • speed training • recovery • injuries (ACL, hamstrings, chronic issues) • athlete readiness • performance psychology • stress, arousal & game-day output • sleep • nutrition • interventions that actually work • and why “guesswork coaching” is outdatedIf you’ve ever wondered why two athletes do the same training and get totally different results… THIS is the missing link.Dorothy breaks down how genetics, neurochemistry, methylation, dopamine regulation, stress hormones, inflammation and biochemistry determine performance capacity — and how coaches can stop guessing and start knowing.This episode is essential for:✔ Strength and conditioning coaches✔ Speed coaches✔ High-performance staff✔ Rehabilitation coaches✔ Athletes and player support teams✔ Anyone who wants to understand human performance at a deeper level⏱️ Timestamps00:00 – Intro00:12 – How Dorothy came onto Sam’s radar00:20 – Why this conversation will blow your mind00:29 – Dorothy’s background & living abroad00:49 – What does Dorothy actually do?01:05 – Human performance & the intersection of brain, biology, behaviour01:18 – Neurogenetics explained02:11 – Training guesswork vs data-driven performance02:40 – Coaches chasing transfer without measuring context03:00 – How Dorothy communicates the brain-body link to athletes03:31 – Why focusing only on physical training limits performance04:07 – Marginal gains vs major gains04:50 – The brain as the main operator of performance05:23 – Why athletes hit performance barriers06:04 – Why the brain hates maximal output06:29 – Misunderstanding “CNS fatigue” in sport06:55 – Antecedents → motivations → behaviours07:02 – Where coaches should actually start07:13 – Collecting genetic data for personalised performance07:56 – Behaviour is genetically wired08:22 – Why motivation = dopamine08:48 – Too much dopamine? Too little? Effects on performance09:06 – Why athletes adapt differently10:01 – Metabolism, methylation & individual differences11:03 – Non-responders & slow responders explained properly12:00 – Team sports training flaws13:00 – Genetic tests: what matters & what doesn’t13:50 – Why isolated gene analysis fails14:23 – Cortisol metabolism, inflammation & performance15:00 – Mental errors = neurochemical errors16:15 – Managing training load incorrectly16:57 – Why athletes train too much17:30 – Sleep science & circadian rhythms18:07 – Sleep tools that actually work19:02 – Chronic inflammation → injury patterns20:12 – Recovery culture is broken21:03 – Athletes who try too hard to recover22:17 – Preparation through fear23:30 – “Injury-prone” is a myth24:40 – ACL & hamstring epidemic explained26:52 – Biochemistry as the real missing link28:11 – Proactive vs reactive performance30:02 – Sam’s personal sleep insights31:29 – Overactive brain patterns in high performers32:00 – Yoga Nidra, breath work and brain down-regulation33:47 – Why breathwork must be individualised35:06 – Athletes blaming their body incorrectly36:00 – Why traditional rehab misses the real cause38:06 – Chronic inflammation & long-term injuries39:52 – Why injuries persist despite great S&C40:48 – Fixing the body through fixing the biochemistry42:17 – Why pro athletes overtrain43:21 – Peptides in performance — Dorothy’s early thoughts45:18 – Preparing the whole human46:03 – Where to find Dorothy46:40 – Why she needs a newsletter (Sam bullying works 😂)46:56 – Outro
In this explosive episode, Sam Portland sits down with Chris Mattice — performance coach, neuroscientist, mentor and business strategist — to unpack the real reasons coaches stay stuck, broke, burnt out, or doubting themselves.
This is not another “programming chat.”
This is the truth behind your identity as a coach, how your brain actually works, and the invisible patterns that run your career, confidence, income, relationships and life.
Whether you’re a speed coach, strength and conditioning coach, athlete development specialist, or coach educator, this conversation will completely change the way you see yourself and your work.
Inside This Episode:
✔ The psychology behind why coaches undervalue themselves
✔ How neurology shapes confidence, career decisions & performance
✔ The 4 A’s framework that rewires your mindset
✔ Why “working harder” keeps coaches broke
✔ How to build real resilience (not Instagram resilience)
✔ Why the S&C industry traps talented coaches
✔ The identity crisis that stops coaches progressing
✔ How to authentically build a business as you
✔ Why storytelling beats programming in 2025 & beyond
✔ How to pivot, evolve and actually grow
✔ Sam & Chris’ real stories from sport, life and business
This is one of the most important conversations you’ll hear this year as a coach.
No fluff. No surface-level advice.
Just the raw truth, tools, and strategies to change your future.
⏱️ Timestamps
00:00 – Welcome to the episode
00:08 – Can you sub in rugby? Rules, resets & neurology
01:06 – Breathing strategies for athletes & nervous system recovery
01:48 – Sam’s questionable “snatch” definitions 😂
02:05 – Introducing Chris Mati
03:00 – Sam’s new mission as the speed disruptor
04:10 – Mindset → Skillset → Thriving in life
05:03 – How Sam & Chris first met
06:00 – Chris’ background: neuroscience, therapy, performance
07:20 – Why entrepreneurs sabotage themselves
08:55 – How the brain forms negative patterns
10:02 – Why coaches ignore their successes
11:03 – Why traditional coaching fails
12:01 – Field sport speed: the most basic + most advanced skill
13:21 – Why heavy weights don’t make sense in-season
14:05 – Journaling, dyslexia & mindset rewiring
15:29 – The “four A’s” for changing your brain
17:10 – Why coaches can’t skip steps
20:29 – The 4 A’s explained
23:55 – How the brain actually learns
26:56 – Neural tags: why change is hard
28:14 – Why coaches are trapped in “service mode”
29:51 – Identity, ego and why coaches undervalue themselves
31:23 – How to start a coaching business (authentically)
33:02 – Growing by skill-stacking
35:00 – Why marketing is a skill coaches must learn
37:52 – What dyslexics do better than most coaches
39:18 – The real reason athletes hire coaches
40:57 – How to create content that actually converts
42:27 – Hero’s Journey + storytelling
43:34 – Why athletes don’t care who you’ve coached
46:00 – The 93% rule of marketing
48:05 – Rebuilding your identity at every level
49:10 – Where to find Chris Mattice
50:00 – Closing thoughts
In this Sports Speed Insider, we go inside the drill stack and show you how to coach transfer, not just exercises. You’ll learn how to identify key movements (à la Verkhoshansky), link them to body links and movement patterns, and apply Learn–Load–Execute so skill actually survives complexity.
What you’ll learn
How to pick the segment closest to the centre of mass (hip extension first).
Turning a key movement into body links and full patterns.
Learn–Load–Execute: when to add force vs when to add speed of execution.
Using med-ball throws, wall squats, yielding/overcoming ISOs to build control.
Fixing early foot contact after better hip extension (leg speed & timing).
In-season vs off-season emphasis & fractional utilisation of transfer.
What’s next: the Magnitude of Effect model for programming phases.
📘 From The Sports Speed System.
📨 Coaching docs & progressions mentioned are in the Progressions Manual.
⏱️ Timestamps / Chapters🔑 Key takeaways
00:00 Intro & why drill stacks matter
01:10 The engine: key movements (Verkhoshansky)
02:20 Why start at the centre of mass (hip extension)
03:15 Coaching awareness: move hips → speed feet
04:05 Learn: isolate hip extension (kneeling → faster reps)
04:50 Survivability inside base motor control (wall squat / ISOs)
05:40 Load: when to add bands/balls vs more speed
06:30 Standing 2-point start → 1-step push out diagnostics
07:20 Med-ball acceleration to raise RFD & positive acceleration
08:05 Foot contact timing after better extension (leg speed problem)
08:55 Scaling steps: 1–3, 4–7, up to 10 for positive acceleration
09:30 Mapping segment → body link → pattern (strength → skill)
10:05 Teaser: Magnitude of Effect & phase switching next
Coach the segment nearest COM first. Hip extension quality dictates everything downstream.
Speed before load (sometimes). If extension is slow, don’t band it—create speed of execution first (e.g., med-ball accel).
Survive complexity. A cue “worked” only if it holds up as you add GRF, speed, and decision-making.
Leg-speed problem ≠ hip problem. Better extension often exposes early contacts—coach faster limb exchange.
Context rules. Chase fractional transfer in-season; push load & volume of segments off-season.
From the Pro12 to personal training to becoming one of the biggest rugby creators online — this is the story of how Ben John turned retirement into a movement.
In this episode of The Sound Important Podcast, Sam Portland sits down with Ben John (The Rugby Trainer) to break down how he went from professional rugby player to building one of the most influential skill coaching brands in sport.
Ben shares the mindset, habits, and creativity behind building an online following of over 700,000, coaching players worldwide, and creating content that inspires the next generation of athletes.
💡 You’ll learn:
The realities of pro rugby life and player burnout
Why “weights don’t influence the scoreboard”
How game IQ and skill play matter more than raw data
The injuries that forced early retirement — and what came next
How The Rugby Trainer started in lockdown and became a global brand
The three golden rules for making content as a coach
How to build structure, habits, and a brand that lasts
🔥 This episode blends elite performance, coaching philosophy, and content strategy — a must-listen for every S&C coach, skills coach, and creator in sport.
🎧 Listen on Spotify | Apple | YouTube
📲 Follow Sam: @coach_samportland
🏉 Follow Ben: @therugbytrainer
⏱️ 3. Timestamps
00:00 – Welcome to The Sound Important Podcast
00:45 – Introducing Ben John: pro rugby to content creator
02:00 – The reality of strength & conditioning in pro rugby
04:00 – Speed IQ vs Game IQ
05:00 – Growing into your body and confidence
06:30 – Overtraining, obsession, and injury cycles
09:30 – Lessons from senior pros and recovery habits
10:30 – Volume tolerance and athlete archetypes
12:00 – Animal archetypes: Wolves, Collies, and Giraffes
16:00 – Skill development through play and 1v1s
17:00 – The concussion that ended a career — and started a business
18:00 – The birth of The Rugby Trainer during lockdown
19:00 – From one kid in the park to global influence
24:00 – The hard truth of S&C career ceilings
26:00 – Hiring structure, working with mentors
29:00 – Building a 700K following across multiple platforms
33:00 – The three content rules: Entertain, Educate, Inspire
35:00 – Simple content that helps one person
40:00 – The Rugby Trainer Academy and 10-minute skill sessions
42:00 – How consistency compounds
44:00 – Collaboration over competition in sport
47:00 – The simplest details often make the biggest difference
49:00 – Final thoughts: drop the ego and just start
Most coaches charge too little.
And it’s killing you — your business, your energy, your confidence.
In this episode, Sam Portland lays out the brutal truth about money, pricing, and self-worth in the strength & conditioning industry.
If you’ve ever been told “you’re not in it for the money,” or if you feel guilty raising your rates — this is the episode that will free you.
Sam shares how he went from charging £30 per hour and driving across London for late clients…
…to building a six-figure business by understanding pricing psychology, value perception, and trust.
🎯 You’ll Learn:
Why coaches are conditioned to undervalue themselves
The link between self-worth and pricing
How to stop selling hourly sessions and start selling bundles
How to filter out “headache clients”
The formula for calculating your ideal hourly rate
How to build lifetime client value (not one-off sessions)
🔥 This isn’t about greed — it’s about freedom.
Start valuing your time, your expertise, and your legacy.
🎧 Listen on: Spotify | Apple | YouTube
💬 DM Sam: @coach_samportland
💡 Join the £9/month Legacy Mastermind: JOIN HERE
⏱️ 3. Timestamps
00:00 – Why charging too little will kill your career
00:30 – The “do it for the love” lie that shapes the S&C world
01:15 – Why S&C is treated as low-skilled labour (and what to do about it)
02:00 – When passion stops paying the bills
03:00 – The money psychology every coach needs to confront
04:30 – The real reason you feel guilty about charging more
06:00 – When Sam decided enough was enough
07:00 – The shift from £50/hour to £90/hour clients
07:40 – The “headache money” clients you must avoid
08:40 – Why pricing is about trust, not greed
09:40 – Stop charging by the hour — build bundles
10:30 – How to structure packages and set time limits
11:00 – The real formula for figuring out your ideal rate
11:50 – Diversifying your client base for financial security
12:30 – The £9/month Legacy Mastermind and business templates
How do you fit world-class speed training into a chaotic team sport schedule?
In this Sport Speed Insider episode, Sam Portland breaks down the daily dosing strategy for applying The Sports Speed System inside real-world team environments — whether you’re part-time with two field sessions a week or working full-time in pro sport.
Learn how to use motor control, power output, and tactical integration to develop speed in-season without overloading your athletes.
💡 Inside this episode:
How to apply The Sports Speed System during competition weeks
The difference between general, specific, special, and tactical speed
Why “performance programs” outperform traditional weight room programs
How to balance motor control, power, and skill across the week
Daily dosing examples for pro and part-time setups
When and how to integrate Learn–Load–Execute sequencing
Why recovery, yin yoga, and tissue quality are key to sustainable speed gains
🎯 Whether you’re an academy coach or elite performance manager, this episode will reshape how you plan and prioritise speed in-season.
⏱️ Timestamps
00:00 – How to apply The Sports Speed System daily
00:45 – Real-world time constraints in team sport environments
01:15 – Why time scarcity makes the system powerful
02:00 – From general speed to tactical speed — four layers of transfer
03:00 – The hierarchy: motor control, power, skill, sport
03:40 – Structuring an in-season training week
04:40 – The “low–high” model explained
05:00 – Day-by-day breakdown of daily dosing
05:30 – Motor control priority days
06:15 – Learn–Load–Execute: the cornerstone of speed development
07:00 – Combining power output and skill transfer
08:00 – Integrating acceleration and maximum speed days
09:00 – Using sport itself as a tactical speed environment
09:40 – The role of recovery, yin yoga, and tissue quality
10:10 – Exploratory learning and speed games for skill retention
Most people fear change.
Former rugby player and fitness entrepreneur Dave Birtwistle has made it his life’s habit.
From the pitch to Too Hot To Handle on Netflix to studying an MBA at Imperial College London, Dave shares the unfiltered truth about reinvention, ego death, and sustainable growth — in sport, business, and life.
We talk about:
🔥 The ego death that comes with leaving pro sport
🔥 The burnout cycle of strength & conditioning and how to escape it
🔥 Lessons from building a million-follower online fitness business
🔥 What happens when fame hits before systems are ready
🔥 Longevity, identity, and finding meaning beyond sport
🔥 Going back to school at 30 and redefining success
This is one of those rare, mature conversations — two ex-rugby players talking openly about life, purpose, and the long game.
🎧 Listen wherever you get your podcasts.
📲 Follow Dave: @davebirtwistle
🧠 Subscribe for weekly conversations on sport, business, and transformation.
Timestamps:
00:00 – The ego death of reinvention
02:00 – How shared rugby trauma shaped perspective
04:30 – Injury, pain, and emotional numbness from years in sport
06:45 – Longevity vs short-termism in team environments
09:00 – Rugby as corporate entity: replaceable bodies
11:00 – The shift from athlete to coach to PT
13:00 – Why most people don’t care about S&C theory
16:00 – From science to service — how to coach for humans, not papers
19:00 – The ego trap of S&C vs “PT”
23:00 – Starting online coaching before it was cool
29:00 – Pre-2020 online fitness world — the wild west
33:00 – Too Hot To Handle: what fame really did to business
36:00 – The 1,400-lead problem and scaling chaos
43:00 – Building systems that can actually handle success
49:00 – Retention > acquisition: building a business that lasts
53:00 – The modern trust crisis in online coaching
57:00 – How storytelling and authenticity now beat information
1:00:00 – Going back to school and learning humility again
1:03:00 – The freedom in letting your identity evolve
This isn’t a career.
It’s a conveyor belt.
And unless you get off it — you’ll spend your best years waiting for a promotion that will never come.
In this solo episode, Sam Portland pulls no punches on the broken system of strength & conditioning. From unpaid internships to dead-end “high performance” titles, this is the brutal truth every young coach needs to hear before burnout becomes your reality.
Sam shares real stories from his time in professional rugby — cleaning Wattbikes, putting players’ weights away, and learning the hard way that degrees don’t equal respect.
🎯 You’ll learn:
Why strength & conditioning isn’t a “career path” — it’s a conveyor belt.
The illusion of prestige behind postgraduate degrees.
The disconnect between passion and recognition in elite sport.
Why senior jobs rarely open up (and what to do instead).
How to build your own legacy through business, freedom, and leadership.
📈 This episode will hit hard — but it might just save your coaching career.
🎧 Listen wherever you get your podcasts.
🔥 Join the Mastermind: https://www.speedbysportland.com/legacy-mastermind-home
💬 DM Sam on Instagram: @coach_samportland
⏱️ 3. Timestamps
00:00 – The conveyor belt of coaching
00:55 – The illusion of prestige in postgraduate education
02:00 – When your degree means nothing at your first club
02:50 – Cleaning Wattbikes and gym floors: the real start of the job
04:30 – The culture of over-serious S&C
05:40 – Why coaches create false importance
06:45 – Humor, humility, and being told off for a joke
07:50 – The broken hierarchy of pro sport coaching
08:40 – Developmental vs senior windows — know where you belong
09:50 – The bottleneck of promotions in elite sport
10:30 – The real path: build your own business, not someone else’s dream
11:00 – How to build your legacy today
In today’s episode, we continue building on the Learn, Load, and Execute (LLE) framework — this time applying it to non-linear sprinting and change of direction speed.
You’ll learn how to break down and coach non-linear sprinting as an action, not just an agility drill, by understanding limb mechanics, acceleration angles, and how to link movement patterns to tactical speed.
I also walk through practical “recipes” for coaches who want to make the most of limited training time with their athletes — from wall drills to resisted band arcs to race-based execution drills.
This one’s all about turning theory into fast, applied learning.
Timestamps:
00:00 – Intro: Non-linear sprinting as an action, not an agility label
00:45 – The Learn Load Execute (LLE) principle in speed development
01:30 – Dominant vs non-dominant side and why you train one first
02:10 – The biomechanical crossover between linear and non-linear sprinting
03:00 – Learn: Isolated limb exposure and joint-angle drills
04:30 – Load: Adding resistance to build specific work capacity
05:30 – Execute: Combo construction — open step to crossover acceleration
06:30 – Understanding the short, moderate, and long curve sprint zones
08:00 – Designing drills for 10–20m curve accelerations
09:00 – Partner band drills for angular resistance
10:00 – Execution through chase games and competitive scenarios
11:00 – Summary: how to reverse-engineer non-linear speed from game actions
12:00 – Next week: Bringing Learn Load Execute into the gym
Thanks for Listening.
Download your Speed Coach Toolkit Here: https://www.speedbysportland.com/tool-kit
Most S&C podcasts are all the same — Olympic lifts vs. trap bar jumps, fancy terminology, no real talk.
In this brutally honest and hilarious episode, I sit down with Matt Vickery, a 30-year veteran of coaching, to cut through the noise and talk about what actually matters in strength and conditioning.
From the early days of Paul Chek and Charles Poliquin to today’s guru culture, we unpack why coaches burn out, how ego kills learning, and why communication skills matter more than degrees.
If you’re a young coach, this is a reality check. If you’re an older one, you’ll be nodding (and laughing) along.
Timestamps:
00:00 – Both will do neither just fine – setting the tone
01:00 – Why we hate most S&C podcasts
02:00 – Trap bars, Olympic lifts, and why none of it really matters
03:00 – The early days of coaching – plyos, benches, and cracked ribs
05:00 – From Wales to London – how plyometrics sold personal training
08:00 – Paul Chek, Poliquin, and the birth of the fitness guru
12:00 – Acupuncture, shamans, and the placebo effect
15:00 – Fixing yourself vs. outsourcing your recovery
17:00 – Foam rolling, massage guns, sleep – the myth of the 1 percenters
20:00 – Why young coaches need to stop choosing camps
25:00 – The problem with S&C education and university courses
29:00 – Working with athletes vs. “Karens” – who really needs coaching
33:00 – The Chelsea job offer – £9 k a year and a reality check
36:00 – Team-sport chaos – one-hour-a-week programs
40:00 – Louis Simmons, Westside Barbell, and learning the real science
47:00 – Genetic freaks, speed myths, and why most coaches chase noise
50:00 – Closing thoughts – no dashboards, just doing the work
👉 Follow Matt on Instagram → @jumpthrowlift
👉 Subscribe for real conversations on coaching, speed, and sport performance
Most coaches burn out before they ever break through.
And that’s the cold, hard truth about working in professional sport.
In this episode, I go deep into the realities of life as a strength & conditioning coach — the burnout, the underpayment, the toxic cultures — and how I broke free to build multiple businesses, earn six figures, and take back control of my life.
This is not motivation fluff. It’s a wake-up call to every coach chasing prestige over purpose.
If you’ve ever felt undervalued, overworked, or trapped by the badge on your tracksuit — this one’s for you.
Timestamps:
00:00 – The truth: most coaches burn out before they break through
01:00 – My early dream: pro sport, prestige, and the illusion of status
03:00 – Breaking my leg, losing rugby, and finding coaching
05:00 – Getting into Wasps and Ealing — and getting fired
06:30 – Why I left pro sport (and why I’m glad I did)
07:00 – Coaches: great at structure for others, terrible for themselves
08:30 – The money reality of sport — and how it limits your life
09:30 – Boundaries, values, and saying “no” to the 24/7 mindset
10:50 – Building systems, focus, and your one thing
11:45 – Stop copying the broke gurus — define your success
13:00 – Build your side hustle right (without burning out)
13:40 – My final message to every coach stuck in the system
👊 If this hits home, share it with a friend who needs to hear it.
🎧 Subscribe for more no-BS truth about sport, business, and freedom.
The Learn Load Execute Framework inside the sports speed system creates a powerful model for the development of physical qualities! Master its application and your athletes will thank you.
What’s the difference between “just posting on social media” and building a personal brand that creates trust, clients, and opportunities?
In this episode of the Sam Portland Podcast, I’m joined by branding expert Alex Preece. We break down why personal branding is really about reputation and trust — and how coaches can move beyond the “assembly line” and stand out.
From LinkedIn strategy to email lists, from mindset to monetisation, this conversation is packed with real stories (including Adidas, Usain Bolt, and Kevin Hart!) and practical steps coaches can start using today.
Timestamps:
00:00 – Why we skip intros and get straight to value
01:30 – What personal branding really is (reputation, not ego)
03:30 – Trust, proof, and why stories sell better than CVs
06:30 – Breaking away from the “assembly line” of coaches
09:30 – The three pillars of content: teach, tell, show
12:30 – Borrowed vs owned media (and why email lists matter)
15:50 – My own social media hack horror story
20:00 – The perfect week framework for self-employed coaches
27:00 – Branding is about what people say when you leave the room
37:00 – Overcoming fear of being judged as a “self-promoter”
46:00 – Alex’s wildest corporate branding story (Kevin Hart + Usain Bolt)
50:00 – Where to find Alex Preece
👉 Subscribe for more coaching + business strategy episodes
Every smart coach in pro sport is building something of their own. Truth is I never trusted pro environments and neither should you. This is how you can work with athletes outside of pro sports.
When you train acceleration using this framework, there is no turning back!!! Grab a copy of the Sports Speed System Framework Playbooks here: https://www.speedbysportland.com/product-details/product/sportsspeedsystemplaybook
What happens when a veteran strength coach loses his role after 12 years? For Nate, it meant rediscovering his passion, redefining his path, and finding purpose beyond the weight room.
In this episode of the Sam Portland Podcast, Nate shares his candid journey through sport, coaching, and unexpected career changes. From being a thrower in college, to coaching athletes at Buffalo, to becoming a “strength coach without a strength job,” this is a raw conversation about resilience, family, and what it really means to coach.
If you’re a young coach, this one’s essential listening.
Timestamps:
00:00 – Why we skip the standard intros
01:30 – Nate’s early story: football, track & field, and the weight room
06:45 – Competing in throws and lessons from powerlifting
14:00 – The importance of competing as a coach
20:00 – First lessons in coaching contact sport athletes
27:30 – COVID, cuts, and becoming a coach without a strength job
36:00 – Balancing family, career, and quality of life
44:00 – Certifications, teaching, and the next chapter
52:00 – Why imperfections—not perfection—connect us