49. Dr. Nic Gill - New Zealand All Blacks Head Strength & Conditioning Coach

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Maintenance - “If that’s your goal, then what actually happens is you decondition” - Nic Gill

The misconception about “maintaining” and how the All Blacks get Stronger in Season. The New Zealand All Blacks have unparalleled international success and have long been the dominant force in the sport of Rugby. Dr. Nic Gill is the longtime Head Strength and Conditioning Coach who has helped keep the All Blacks at peak performance for well over a decade. When not keeping up with the team’s ludicrous international travel schedule, Coach Gill competes annually in triathlons (5x qualifier for Kona), works as the Associate Professor in Human Performance at the University of Waikato, and farms Avocados in his native New Zealand.

In today’s show Coach Gill explains the challenges of the team’s uniquely demanding travel schedule. His approach to battling jet lag, assessing player needs, the importance of recovery and the mindset that has helped the All Blacks persevere during difficult stretches across time zones. He talks in season training and how his athletes not just maintain, but continue to improve over the course of the season. Coach Gill explains the importance of frequency and why the Squat has remained a staple of his programming. The need for unilateral work and thes role it plays in injury prevention and performance. Lastly he discusses the importance of positivity in recovery and his best piece of advice for an athlete who is attempting their first endurance race. 

Mentioned In the Show:

Books: “Health Your Self”  - https://www.amazon.com/Health-Your-Self-Nic-Gill-ebook/dp/B07P7Y7Q4P

Website: https://www.nicgill.com/

Follow Dr. Gill: 

Instagram: @nicgill_health_and_performance