The Athletic Potential Podcast
The Athletic Potential Podcast is your place to come and get answers to your athletic development questions. We cover a range of topics all related to getting you to achieve your athletic goals so that you can experience and enjoy the athletic career that you desire. Hosted by Mike Mathews, a physical therapist and strength coach, answers will be a blend of what has worked for those in the past as well as what the research world has to say. Topics will include sports performance training, rehabilitation, injury prevention, speed and agility training, and power development. Interviews with athletes will help to provide examples that will help you know what steps to take so that you can go and perform in your sport at the highest level. Come listen and lets achieve your maximum athletic potential!
Episodes
59 episodes
059: Why Your Athlete Should Specialize in a Sport
Is earlier always better? In this episode, we break down the truth about youth sports specialization — when it helps, when it hurts, and how to make the right call for your child. Learn what the research says about injury risk, long-term perfor...
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Episode 59
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59:49
058: Why Your Back Pain Isn't Going Away
Back pain is one of the most common — and most stubborn — problems for both athletes and everyday movers. In this episode of The Athletic Potential Podcast, we break down why back pain can be so resilient, what’s actually happening in the body,...
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Episode 58
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17:18
057: A Method for Boosting Throwing Velocity & Reducing Pain Through Brain-Muscle Connection
In this episode, I dive into a powerful yet often overlooked method for improving throwing performance: strengthening the brain-muscle connection. By improving how your nervous system communicates with your muscles, you can throw with mo...
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Episode 57
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22:16
056: Recovery, Elbow Pain, and What’s New at Athletic Potential 🎙
In this Q&A-style episode, I’m answering three of the most common and important questions I get from athletes, coaches, and clients:1️⃣ What are the best recovery strategies?I break down the most effective wa...
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Episode 56
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30:07
055: Rehab & Reload: Shoulder Pain Relief + Forearm Strength for Throwers
In this episode, I’m breaking down the best shoulder exercises for athletes dealing with pain — and pairing that with the most effective forearm strengthening exercises for throwers looking to boost performance and stay injury...
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Episode 55
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20:16
054: 🎙 Power, Precision, and Performance: Best Exercises for Softball Pitching
In this episode, we’re breaking down the must-do exercises for softball pitchers who want to throw harder, stay healthy, and dominate on the mound. Whether you’re a player, coach, or parent, you’ll walk away with a clearer understandin...
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Episode 54
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45:40
053: Unlocking the Mind of a Pro: Chloe Temples on Life in Fastpitch Softball
In this episode, I sit down with professional fastpitch softball pitcher Chloe Temples to dive deep into the world of competitive softball. Chloe shares her journey from youth leagues to the professional stage, the mental and physical grind of ...
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Episode 53
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44:01
052: Cranky Wrists| What to Expect Following ACL Surgery
Welcome to The Athletic Potential Podcast, the show where we dive deep into unlocking your full potential as an athlete. I'm your host, Mike Mathews, and today we’re tackling two major topics that many athletes face during their career...
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Episode 52
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40:57
051: Ways to Decrease Arm Stress During Throwing
On this episode of The Athletic Potential Podcast, we are discussing ways to decrease arm stress during throwing.WATCH this episode!!!
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Episode 51
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32:10
050: Managing In-Season Shoulder and Elbow Pain
On this episode of The Athletic Potential Podcast, we will be discussing how to manage in-season shoulder and elbow pain.Want to watch this episode? Click HERE!
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Episode 50
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29:50
049: Spinal Health| Hardest Part of Tommy John Return
On this episode of The Athletic Potential Podcast, we will be discussing spinal health basics, as well as what is the hardest part of the rehab process following Tommy John surgery.Want to watch this episode? Click
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Episode 49
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35:44
048: New Soccer Conditioning Routine!
On this episode of The Athletic Potential Podcast, we'll be discussing a novel soccer conditioning program that we have just implemented. Also, we introduce, John, The Student!!!Want to watch this episode? Click
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Episode 48
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45:15
047: 5 Reasons Why You Are Not Throwing Faster
On this episode of The Athletic Potential Podcast, we'll be discussing the 5 reasons why you are not throwing faster.Want to watch this episode? Click HERE!
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Episode 47
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25:16
046: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly Warm-up Routines
On this episode of The Athletic Potential Podcast, we'll be discussing warm-up routines. The good, the bad, and the ugly. Want to watch this episode? Click HERE!
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Episode 46
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21:20
045: On-The-Field Test to Predict Youth Baseball Injuries
On this episode of the athletic potential podcast, we will be discussing key things you can look for in your youth athletes in regards to predicting injuries. Want to watch this episode? Click HERE...
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Episode 45
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40:14
044: Muscle Strains| Best Low Back Stretches
On this episode of the athletic potential podcast, we will be discussing how long it takes to return to sport following a muscle strain, as well as our go to low back stretching exercises.Want to watch this episode? Click
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Episode 44
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37:19
043: Start of Season Injury Prevention
On this episode of The Athletic Potential Podcast, we'll be discussing preseason as well as start of season injury rates in baseball and softball, as well as how to prevent UCL injury at the start of a season.Want to watch this episode?...
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Episode 43
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29:24
042: Keys to Knee Surgery Rehab| In-season Softball Weight Training
On this episode, the Athletic Potential Podcast, we'll be discussing the key aspects of a successful knee surgery rehabilitation, as well as our recommendations for in-season weight training for our softball athletes.Want to watch this ...
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Episode 42
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33:51
041: Girls Weight Training| Ice Following Pitching
On this episode of the Athletic Potential Podcast, we are going to be discussing when we have our female athletes start weight training, as well as whether we have our pitchers ice after an outing. Want to watch this episode? Click
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Episode 41
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24:53
040: Rotator Cuff Strength| Baseball Specialization
On this episode of the Athletic Potential Podcast, we are going to be discussing rotator cuff strength and when you have enough of it, as well as when baseball players should specialize into one sport.Want to watch this episode? Click <...
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Episode 40
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25:09
039: Little Leaguer's Elbow| Pre-Throw Routines
On this episode of the Athletic Potential Podcast, we are going to be discussing Little Leaguer syndrome as well as what our professional baseball pitchers are doing to prepare to throw.Want to watch this episode? Click
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Episode 39
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36:22
038: Quick Tests for Injury Risk| Decreasing Elbow Stress with Throwing
On this episode of The Athletic Potential Podcast, we'll be discussing quick tests that we use to determine injury risk for our softball players and our baseball players, as well as how we recommend or go about decreasing arm stress with throwi...
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Episode 38
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37:04
037: How Our Pitchers Get Ready to Throw
On this episode of The Athletic Potential Podcast, we are going to be discussing one topic, and that is what our pitchers do to prepare to throw.Want to watch this episode? Click HERE!
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Episode 37
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25:17
036: Shoulder Pain| #1 Thing to Improve Velocity| Most Common Advice to Athletes
On this episode of the Athletic Potential Podcast, we are going to be discussing shoulder pain in a softball athlete. We're going be talking about the number one aspect or training variable that we try and modify to improve velocity...
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Episode 36
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24:13
035: Sprained Ankle| Explosiveness or Strength More Important| Flat Grounds or Short Box
On this episode of the Athletic Potential Podcast, we are going to be discussing sprained ankles and how we work with our clients. Here we're going to talk about explosiveness or strength, which is more important, as well as whether we, we reco...
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Episode 35
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33:29