In this episode of the MTB Performance Podcast, Ben Loftis, founder of Resolute Performance, shares his journey from college football safety to becoming a specialist in training overhead athletes. With a background shaped by personal injury challenges, Ben now leads a facility focused on long-term athletic development for youth and high school athletes.

In this conversation, Ben reveals the philosophy behind his "crockpot, not microwave" approach to training, explaining how he tracks metrics over extended periods to help young athletes understand the peaks and valleys of development. He discusses the importance of managing training loads in an era of year-round sports specialization, the role of technology in monitoring athlete readiness, and the critical balance between pushing athletes and protecting their long-term health.

Ben also opens up about the power of serving athletes without expectation and creating opportunities for both coaches and athletes to thrive.

Interested in learning more about Ben? Learn more at:

SITE || RESOLUTENWA.COM

LINKEDIN || @BENJAMINLOFTIS

FACEBOOK || @RESOLUTE.NWA

INSTAGRAM || @LOFTISTRONG

INSTAGRAM || @RESOLUTE. NWA

LINKTREE || LINKTR. EE/RESOLUTENWA

In this episode's compelling conversation, Derek Hansen, a veteran sprint coach, return-to-play specialist, and educator, discusses the alarming rise in Achilles tendon ruptures among increasingly younger athletes.

Drawing from decades of experience with professional athletes, Hansen challenges oversimplified explanations and advocates for examining multiple contributing factors: footwear design (particularly the shift to low-cut, rigid shoes), playing surface variations, potential systemic health impacts, and critically, the erosion of general physical preparation in favor of hyper-specialization.

Throughout the discussion, Hansen emphasizes wisdom gleaned from his mentorship under Charlie Francis, particularly the importance of viewing training through a lens of general stressors and systemic adaptation rather than excessive specificity.

Hansen and host Mickey Brueckner explore the broader philosophical challenges facing strength and conditioning professionals today, including the tension between the industry's obsession with specificity versus the proven value of general physical preparation, shrinking preparation windows at all levels, and the loss of proper periodization in the social media age.

Hansen makes a compelling case that strength coaches must reclaim their role as generalists while maintaining the courage to implement evidence-based programming even when it contradicts popular trends. The conversation serves as both a diagnostic examination of current problems in athletic development and a practical roadmap for building more resilient, available athletes.

Interested in learning more? Find Derek at:

SPRINTCOACH.COM

RUNNINGMECHANICS.COM

YOUTUBE || @DEREKMHANSEN

LINKEDIN || @DEREKMHANSEN

INSTAGRAM || @DEREKMHANSEN

FACEBOOK || @SPRINTCOACHDOTCOM

In this episode of the MTB Performance Project, Mickey sits down with Alex Hubelbank, a physical therapist and performance coach who has carved out a unique career path in the world of professional sports and human performance. Alex shares her unconventional journey from working at Apple for four years to becoming a PT and eventually landing roles in professional sports, including the NBA.

Her story demonstrates how non-linear career paths can actually provide valuable skills and perspectives that traditional routes might miss. Throughout the conversation, Alex discusses the importance of the "five whys" approach to understanding your true motivations, how to know when it's time to leave a position and make big life changes, and the difference between "top-down" vs "bottom-up" career approaches. She shares insights on working with professional athletes, including navigating complex stakeholder relationships between teams, athletes, agents, and medical staff, setting clear expectations, having difficult conversations, and the realities versus perceptions of working in professional sports.

Alex also explores cutting-edge training technology, particularly muscle oxygen sensors that help coaches make better decisions about when athletes are truly ready for their next set or exercise. She explains how this technology is changing the way coaches approach warmups and recovery, moving away from guessing with timers to using real data about what's happening inside the athlete's body. Whether you're a coach, trainer, or athlete, Alex's story offers practical lessons on building a meaningful career, working with elite performers, and embracing new tools that can take training to the next level