463: Mike Robertson on Braking, Propulsion, and Quality Movement in Athletic Strength Development

Today's podcast features Mike Robertson. Mike Robertson is the co-owner of IFAST in Indianapolis and host of the Physical Preparation Podcast. With over 20 years of experience training athletes from the NBA to everyday clients, Mike is known for blending biomechanics, strength, and smart programming to get real-world results. He’s a respected educator and a leader in the performance training space. The more advanced we get in the world of functional training, human movement, and biomechanics, the more difficult it can be to manage our programming. Having a set of basic principles and foundations for movement coaching helps us to serve a wide variety of athletes throughout their seasons and careers. On today’s episode, Mike speaks on the nature of his programming, and how he treats the primary squat, deadlift, bench, and split squat movement patterns with the needs of an athlete in mind (with particular emphasis on off-season pro athletes). Mike goes into concepts on braking and propulsion and how to use the weightroom to impact this balance of forces, hinge mechanics, lessons from coaching youth sports, and much more. Today’s episode is brought to you by TeamBuildr’s Gym Studio. 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 View more podcast episodes at the podcast homepage. (https://www.just-fly-sports.com/podcast-home/) Timestamps 4:32- "Evolution from Powerlifting to Athletic Movement Training" 17:32- Foot Support and Motion Control in Strength Training 23:37- Flywheel Training Advancements in Professional Basketball Conditioning 33:23- Center of Mass Restoration for Explosive Athletes 33:51- Optimizing Performance Through Propulsion and Braking 42:14- Enhancing Athletic Performance Through Hinge Variations 50:00- Bilateral Offset Stance Benefits in Exercises 52:46- Internal Rotation Stance for Hip Mobility 1:00:41- Maximizing Athletic Potential through Tailored Training 1:10:05- Enhancing Coaching Skills Through Immersive Soccer Experience 1:17:49- Evolving Coaching Techniques in Basketball Training 1:19:44- Innovative Techniques for Creative Thought Management Quotes (14:18) "I've gone away from like really like chasing outputs or trying to push outputs up to, hey, Man, I just want to restore outputs, right? Like, can we just get you back somewhere near your top end in the off-season? So we know you still got it, but we're just touching it, right? So I talk about touching intensity." - Mike Robertson (14:34) "Some of my biggest go-to's, I still love anterior loaded squat variations. for benching variations. Very little barbell stuff. I'm talking more on like, the aging athlete side. I really love alternating work. I love floor-pressing variations. Anything where we're one is up, one is down, so we can maintain some motion through their thorax. And then as far as deadlifts go, if I'm going to deadlift somebody, I still really like Like a high-handle trap bar deadlift." - Mike Robertson (20:21) "Depending on your situation, your environment, context, like you can make an argument for just about anything." - Mike Robertson (22:25) "Especially as we age, I just think of three buckets. There's the mobility and movement quality bucket. There's the neurological outputs bucket so you can speed, power, strength, and then there's like the, the metabolic capacity buckets." - Mike Robertson (26:49) "In, this is the thing that I always come back to. Right. Like, Bill and I have had this discussion so many times, like, in passing in the gym. It's like, oh, my gosh, like, just how easy was it to train in your 20s?" - Mike Robertson (38:37) "I used to always joke around with athletes and I was kind of right. But I used to always say like weightlifting and like strength training is the only sport where it benefits being on your heels. Right. But the weight room is a great place to help athletes recapture their heels." - Mike Robertson (47:45) "I think sometimes people hear these things and you know, they'll hear, oh well, this person has like a, you know, an elastic or an upright squatting archetype. So never hinge them. And I think that's actually a mistake" - Mike Robertson (1:04:33) "I think I'm just built to coach, you know? Like, it's just in my DNA, like, whether it's in the weight room on a field. Like, I just love coaching and trying to make a positive impact on people." - Mike Robertson About Mike Robertson ​Mike Robertson is one of the leading voices in athletic performance and physical preparation. As the co-owner of Indianapolis Fitness and Sports Training (IFAST)—named one of America's Top 10 Gyms by Men’s Health—Mike has spent over two decades helping athletes and clients move better, feel better, and perform at their highest level. With a career that spans collegiate, professional, and general population coaching, Mike is known for his ability to blend biomechanics, strength training, and individualized programming into practical, results-driven systems. He has worked with athletes in the NBA, MLS, NFL, and NCAA, as well as weekend warriors and post-rehab clients. Mike is also the host of the long-running Physical Preparation Podcast, where he interviews top coaches, therapists, and thought leaders in the sports performance world. His mission is to elevate the standard of coaching through education, critical thinking, and real-world application. Through his writing, speaking, and mentoring, Mike has influenced thousands of coaches worldwide and continues to push the field forward with clarity, humility, and experience.