434: Chris Kelly on Airway Dynamics and Force Production in Athletic Movement

Today’s podcast features Chris Kelly, the owner of Fitness Rehab and The Musical Athlete. He has extensive education in biomechanics and human performance systems. Chris balances health and performance while teaching clients to understand their bodies and manage movement efficiently. As a teacher, he has trained hundreds of professionals in topics like breathing mechanics, movement assessment, and exercise application. Many training conversations relate to what happens from the ground upwards, but not often do we discuss what occurs from the head, downwards in athletic movement. What happens at the level of the head, is also a mirror for what is happening in the chest, and hips, so knowing this area helps paint a greater picture of the total athlete. On today’s podcast, Chris covers aspects of airway, head, and neck as they pertain to sprinting and human movement, along with compensatory strategies that can power movement under conditions of fatigue. He also talks about the nature of reciprocal movement in force absorption, oscillatory training principles, and air-pressure-based principles of movement and performance. This show offers a unique and helpful lens by which to greater understand the big picture of athleticism and training methodology. Today’s episode is brought to you by TeamBuildr’s Gym Studio and Athletic Development Games. Use the code “justfly25” for 25% off any Lila Exogen wearable resistance training, including the popular Exogen Calf Sleeves. For this offer, head to: Lilateam.com TeamBuildr is an online software for coaches and trainers. Use the code “JUSTFLY” for a free 30-day trial of the TeamBuildr software. For a Gym Studio 14-day free trial, head to gymstudio.com View more podcast episodes at the podcast homepage. Main Points 2:40- Quincy Hall Movement Profile En Route to 400m Gold 17:37- Facial Tension's Influence on Movement Optimization 19:35- The Nature of Reciprocal Motions and “Delay Strategies” in Athletic Movement 31:24- Enhancing Athlete Performance through Motor Control Training 44:24- Interconnectedness of Fatigue and Top-Down Effects on Performance Outcomes 46:42- Facial Tension's Influence on Athletic Performance 51:16- Enhancing Performance Through Airway Control and Vocal Techniques 1:17:43- Rhythmic Training Techniques 1:22:44- Exploration of Air Pressure and Tonality for Athletic Movements Quotes (11:18) “So pelvis is going to start to face the ground. Thorax is going to start to face the ground. And in the case of a narrow, like a Quincy Hall or something like that, you also see maybe a suboccipital strategy where the head goes forward and you start to get a cranium that actually starts to face the ground as well” (19:25) “When we have a calcaneus that hits the ground and begins to evert before the whole foot dumps in, that creates a slight delay that allows for the propagation of energy through a distribution of energy through more, you know, through more joint systems” (21:03) "When I talk about delay strategies, I want to see that I can delay the absorption of energy. So, number one, I can do it at all and I can control what's happening to me. And number two, I can then utilize that energy in a way that is going to be purposeful and a skilled task as opposed to just having to refrigerator turn my whole body." - Chris Kelly (22:00) “(Messi) has very good control and It's very easy for him to, you know, to move in that way and maintain relative motions, whereas, like, you know, somebody that's a force producer like me or, you know, heavy weightlifter or something… I'm a fullback. Like, I'm going to knock you over. I'm going to outrun you” (37:00) “We were talking about things that were more expansive in nature, like finding a heel or reaching, this is training more yielding properties of the connective tissue versus your Weck deadlift or your, you know, your activities where maybe your heel is off the ground or something. That's going to be training more overcoming application of the connective tissue. (1:14:39) "Look at somebody who's producing a lot of force that's at the end of a race or that's doing something, and you will see what is happening in their face, and they can't hide it." - Chris Kelly (1:20:25) "In our society as well, particularly in American society, everything is about output and productivity. How much can you get done in a day? How much force can you produce? Like, you got to break this record. All these things which creates in it just perceptually, that creates pressure." - Chris Kelly Show Notes Quincy Hall 400m About Chris Kelly Chris Kelly holds a Master’s Degree in Journalism from Columbia University and is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) through the NSCA. As the owner of The Musical Athlete, he blends biomechanical principles with physical preparation to enhance the performance of vocalists, helping them move, breathe, and sing more efficiently. His work also extends to post-rehabilitation fitness through Fitness Rehab, where he specializes in movement training for clients ranging from surgery recovery to professional athletes such as golfers and soccer players. Chris’s expertise is grounded in extensive education across multiple systems, including Functional Range Conditioning, the Postural Restoration Institute, Neurokinetic Therapy, Bill Hartman’s Intensive, and EXOS Performance Training. His holistic approach emphasizes balancing health and performance, aiming to help clients and students better understand their bodies while integrating breathing techniques and movement strategies to manage gravity effectively. In his teaching role, Chris has educated hundreds of fitness trainers, physical therapists, massage therapists, and vocal coaches. His topics cover movement screening, rehabilitative core training, exercise prescription and modification, and breathing mechanics, with a focus on simplifying complex concepts.