Physical Preparation Podcast · Mike Robertson

Buffer Zones, Optimizing Training and In-Season Workouts

·34 min·2 clips

Mike Robertson says clients need a "buffer zone," not perfection, to stay safe when mobility fluctuates.

1. Physical Preparation Podcast presents Mike Robertson's "Buffer Zones, Optimizing Training, and In-Season Workouts" as an episode built from articles and coaching notes. 2. Mike Robertson hosts the show, names Hallie as the person helping with social media consistency, and cites Patrick Ward, Joel Jameson, Val Macedkin, McInnes Watson, and Dave Tenney as influences or references. 3. The episode asks what coaches should actually do with training tools, loading, and seasonal scheduling so athletes stay healthy and perform well. 4. Robertson says deep-tier plyos only make sense when the athlete's current adaptation matches the exercise, not simply because the exercise is popular. 5. He places athletes on a continuum from "too compliant" on the left to "too stiff" on the right, using baby deer, hypermobile athletes, and rigid pro players as examples. 6. For the too-compliant side, he recommends pushing isometrics, heavy strength training in quotation marks, stability work, and quick shallow "poppy plyos." 7. For the too-stiff side, he recommends holding or yielding isometrics, oxidative strength training, deep-tier plyos, and more dedicated mobility work. 8. He defines oxidative strength training as continuous-motion strength work with controlled eccentrics and concentrics, such as a push-up, bench press, squat, or split squat. 9. He says tempo lifting can teach athletes to relax, use only as much muscle as necessary, and reach a better bottom position. 10. Robertson explains that the goal on either side of the continuum is to move athletes toward the middle of the bell curve. 11. In the in-season section, he says one major mistake is never strength training during the season, even in schedules with Friday, Tuesday, Saturday, or Wednesday games. 12. He points to college soccer as an example where a full calendar review can reveal six-, seven-, or eight-day windows for training. 13. He cites Dave Tenney and the Seattle Sounders as an example of tracking long seasons where lean body mass could already be dropping by July. 14. Another mistake he highlights is loading all athletes the same, including a story about a high school player told to lift heavy on Fridays regardless of the game schedule. 15. He says game-day lifts can make athletes feel sharp, fresh, and ready, but the point is not to beat them down for the sake of development. 16. He also argues against relying only on heavy strength sessions by using loading days, maintenance days, STEM sessions, and planned recovery sessions. 17. Robertson's tone is conversational, reflective, and instructional, with repeated side notes, sponsor reads, and direct appeals to coaches and trainers. 18. The format moves from article context to practical coaching frameworks, then into long-form commentary and specific examples from basketball, soccer, and consulting work. 19. Coaches, strength trainers, rehab professionals, and athlete developers will get the most from this episode. 20. Listeners wanting a tight injury narrative or a short entertainment episode may skip it.

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