Prepare Like A Pro

#169 - AFL In-Season Strength: Why You Must Optimise, Not Maximise

Are you coasting on your pre-season fitness without realising it's already wearing off? This episode breaks down the most common in-season training traps that AFL footballers at every level fall into, from doing too little to grinding themselves into the ground chasing combine numbers. We also took on listener questions about training through injury, managing a short pre-season, and making the jump from country to city footy. If you want to hit your best football in August and September, this one is worth your time.

🔑Highlights from the episode:

- The best approach to getting drafted
- Managing a limited pre-season due to injury
- How to build fitness during the season
- Transitioning from country to city footy
- Injury mitigation and realistic recovery timelines

Watch full episode on YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/

Listen Now & Subscribe!

🎧 Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube
📲 Follow us on Instagram:
💡 Learn more at preparelikeapro.com

Enjoy the episode and keep striving for high performance!

Do you have feedback on the show? We would love to hear from you. Send us your feedback and tell us what you love and what you think could be better. And if you’re enjoying the show, please leave us a review.

Feedback: https://preparelikeapro.com/contact/
Review: https://link.chtbl.com/PLPlivechats/

Our website link is in the comments below ⬇️

Are you tracking what matters… or just collecting data? 📊
In this episode, Nick Poulos unpacks why great monitoring systems need both:
✅ Strategy measures (what you planned)
✅ Outcome measures (what actually happened)
A must-listen for S&C coaches, physios & high performance staff looking to level up.

—

Are you ready to enhance your coaching?
Our academy helps coaches like you build a stronger understanding of sport science so you can make real impact this season.

Your monitoring system is only as good as the decisions it drives 📊
In this episode, Nick Poulos unpacks how to build a system that’s reliable, practical, and adaptable to the individual athlete.
Perfect for S&C coaches, physios & high performance staff looking to level up.

—

Are you ready to enhance your coaching?
Our academy helps coaches like you build a stronger understanding of sport science so you can make real impact this season.

TAKE YOUR GAME TO THE NEXT LEVEL! 🔥
What does it really take to be cleared and available for AFL selection?
High Performance Consultant Nick Poulos breaks down the fitness testing process every footballer should understand.
💬 Comment or DM us for the link to the podcast

#368 - Nick Poulos on Complex Training and Load Monitoring

What's the difference between complex and contrast training, and why does the terminology matter more than most coaches think? In this episode, we get into the nuances of monitoring athlete recovery after an NFL game, including what jump metrics actually tell you, when to adjust testing strategies for individual athletes, and how to build a red flag system that catches workload spikes before they become injuries. If you're working in elite sport or aspiring to, this one is packed with practical insight.

🔑Highlights from the episode:

- Complex vs contrast training explained
- Best tests to monitor post-game recovery
- When athletes just can't complete standard testing
- Why consistency matters more than perfect conditions
- How to identify at-risk athletes using workload data

Research :

Poulos N, Haff GG, Nibali M, Graham-Smith P, Newton RU. Comparison of the Potentiating Effect of Variable Load Jump Squats on Acute Drop Jump Performance in Rugby Sevens Athletes. J Strength Cond Res. 2023 Jan 1;37(1):149-160. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000004214. Epub 2022 Jan 20. PMID: 36515600.

Poulos N, Haff GG, Nibali M, Norris D, Newton R. Influence of Complex Training Design on Acute Postactivation Performance Enhancement of Jump Squat and Ballistic Bench Throw Performance in Developing Team-Sport Athletes. J Strength Cond Res. 2023 May 1;37(5):969-979. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000004323. PMID: 37099303.

Blazevich AJ and Babault N (2019) Post-activation Potentiation Versus Post-activation Performance Enhancement in Humans: Historical Perspective, Underlying Mechanisms, and Current Issues. Front. Physiol. 10:1359. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2019.01359

Cormier P, Freitas TT, Rubio-Arias JÁ, Alcaraz PE. Complex and Contrast Training: Does Strength and Power Training Sequence Affect Performance-Based Adaptations in Team Sports? A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. J Strength Cond Res. 2020 May;34(5):1461-1479. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000003493. PMID: 32084104.

Seitz LB, Haff GG. Factors Modulating Post-Activation Potentiation of Jump, Sprint, Throw, and Upper-Body Ballistic Performances: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis. Sports Med. 2016 Feb;46(2):231-40. doi: 10.1007/s40279-015-0415-7. PMID: 26508319.

Boullosa D, Beato M, Dello Iacono A, Cuenca-Fernández F, Doma K, Schumann M, Zagatto AM, Loturco I, Behm DG. A New Taxonomy for Postactivation Potentiation in Sport. Int J Sports Physiol Perform. 2020 Aug 19;15(8):1197-1200. doi: 10.1123/ijspp.2020-0350. PMID: 32820135.

Arguedas-Soley A, Shushan T, Murphy A, Poulos N, Lovell R, Norris D. Divergent Responses to Training Load in Professional Australian Football: Are Insights Obtained from Generic and Running-based Assessments Complementary or Redundant? Sports Med Open. 2025 Nov 21;11(1):139. doi: 10.1186/s40798-025-00946-2. PMID: 41269473; PMCID: PMC12638591.

Connect

Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-poulos-phd/
Website - https://www.nickpoulos.com.au/

Watch full episode on YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/

Listen Now & Subscribe!

🎧 Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube
📲 Follow us on Instagram:
💡 Learn more at preparelikeapro.com

Enjoy the episode and keep striving for high performance!

Do you have feedback on the show? We would love to hear from you. Send us your feedback and tell us what you love and what you think could be better. And if you’re enjoying the show, please leave us a review.

Feedback: https://preparelikeapro.com/contact/
Review: https://link.chtbl.com/PLPlivechats/

Our website link is in the comments below ⬇️

Most AFL hamstring injuries don’t happen randomly…
They follow very specific mechanisms—and if you don’t understand them, your rehab and return-to-play decisions will always fall short.
In this episode of the High Performance Podcast, Dean Filopoulos breaks down the real reasons why hamstring injuries occur in AFL—and how that should shape your approach as a coach.
🎯 In this episode: ✅ High-speed vs stretch injury mechanisms
✅ Why mechanism should guide rehab—not just the diagnosis
✅ How poor understanding leads to reinjury
✅ Connecting injury → loading → return to performance
If you’re serious about improving outcomes in high-performance sport, this is a must-listen.
💬 Comment below if you want the link to this podcast episode

Hamstring injuries are one of the most common—and most mishandled—issues in AFL.
In this episode of the High Performance Podcast, Dean Filopoulos breaks down everything S&C coaches need to know about Grade 1–3 hamstring injuries, rehab, and return to performance.
This isn’t just about getting athletes back on the field…
It’s about getting them back to true game speed.
🎯 In this episode: ✅ Key differences between Grade 1, 2 & 3 injuries
✅ Return-to-run progressions that actually transfer
✅ Bridging rehab → sprinting → match demands
✅ Common mistakes that lead to reinjury
✅ Why return to performance > just being pain-free
If you’re an AFL S&C coach looking to sharpen your rehab and RTP decisions—this is a must-listen.
💬 Comment below if you want the link to this podcast episode

Hamstring injuries are one of the most common—and most misunderstood—challenges in AFL.
In this episode of the High Performance Podcast, Dean Filopoulos breaks down the key principles every S&C coach must follow for effective return to play.
This isn’t just rehab…
It’s about building athletes back to true game-speed performance.
🎯 In this episode:
The non-negotiables of hamstring rehab
How to progress from rehab → running → match readiness
Why most return-to-play plans fail
The difference between being available vs being ready
If you’re serious about improving your impact in high performance sport—this is for you.
💬 Comment below if you want the link to this podcast episode