Changing Your Perspective.

Today on the Back2Basketball Podcast we have William Richards – William runs the online platform Fitness4Backpain where he has helped thousands of people defeat their backpain. William has developed his systems of back pain management through figuring out what worked for him in defeating his back pain!

William and I discuss daily movements and routines that can help you solve your back pain, developing a plan to defeat your back pain, as well as confusion around what causes back pain and what the solutions available.

And now here is my conversation with William Richards from Fitness4Backapin.

You can find William at

Inderbir Is a professional 3x3 basketball player, who currently plays in the 3bl as well as on the FIBA 3x3 World tour. Indirbir, was a college standout at UNBC where he led his team to a National title in 2010 where he was also named national player of the year, conference player of the year and conference tournament MVP. He is also UNBC’s inaugural inductee for its newly-created Wall of Honour!

We discuss His Basketball Journey, Adjusting to life in the pandemic, and learning how to work hard. This is a classic conversation between two basketball lovers.

Remember to like, rate, subscribe, and write a review on the podcast as well as follow us on social media.

You can find Inderbir

Today on the Back2Basketball Podcast, we have Blain LaBrance is a former college and professional basketball player. He finished his college career with the UBC Thunderbirds. In his three years at UBC, the team won 1 Canada west title and were 2-time national silver medallists. Blain finished his playing career, spending time in China, Mexico and on the IBL Edmonton Energy. He founded @enhancebasketball Basketball and is a coach and a mentor.

Blain and I discuss his basketball journey, his coaching philosophy, and his battle with severe back injuries that caused him to have surgery.

Remember to like, rate, and subscribe, and write a review on the podcast. As well as follow us on social media.

You can find Blain

Today on the Back2Basketball podcast we have Prince Daniels Jr. Prince is a former NFL running back who after getting injured was cut from the Baltimore Ravens. This devastating event caused Prince to contemplate suicide. This challenge has led him down a path of seeking out ways to help former using meditation as a tool to find meaning after sports. 

Prince and I discuss his suicide story and how meditation saved him. Adjusting to life after sports, as well as some other interesting banter. 

Remember to like, rate, and subscribe, and write a review on the podcast. As well as follow us on social media. 

You can find Prince

Today on the Back2Basketball Podcast, we have Sherwin Vasallo. Sherwin is a strength coach who specializes in basketball training. He and I discuss many topics around training for basketball players, however, we focus mainly on understanding why vertical leap likely shouldn't be the priority when it comes to training most basketball players. 

Remember to Like, rate, subscribe and write a review on the podcast as well as follow us on social media.

You can find Sherwin

Today on the Back 2 Basketball Podcast we have Rashawn Browne

Rashawn is a former NCAA Div. 1 and USPORTS basketball player. He played at New Mexico State, then transferred to California University of Pennsylvania, and then the University of Manitoba. While playing at Manitoba Rashawn was Named a Second Team All-Canadian in U SPORTS, a Canada West First Team All-Star, and University of Manitoba Athlete of the year.

After graduation, Rashawn was drafted by the Saskatchewan Rattlers where he averaged 8ppg, 3ast and 3 rpg and was the runner-up in the CEBL USPORTS player of the year award.

Rashawn and I discuss Playing in the CEBL Bubble, the difference between College Basketball in Canada and the USA, managing injuries while playing, and how his training has changed over the years.

Remember to like, rate, subscribe and write a review on the podcast, as well as follow us on social media.

You can follow Rashawn at....

Today on the Back2Basketball Podcast, we have the Co-Hosts of the ModernMaskulinity Podcast – Anwar Ahmed and Kyle Rushton. Their goal is to support men on their journey towards becoming the best possible version of themselves by providing insight, support, perspective, and most importantly, a safe space to live authentically with a community of conscious kings.

You might be wondering why these guys are coming on the podcast. A lot of what they talk about on their podcast fits quite nicely with my mission to inspire a change in mindset and a shift in current and former basketball players' lifestyle and daily habits by focusing on personal storytelling, community building, empowerment, and accountability.

We discuss dealing with emotions, the power of vulnerability, self-love, and the difference between mental health and mental illness and a bunch of other topics. This was a very fun conversation that I should give you a lot to think about.

Remember to like, rate and subscribe, as well as follow us on social media.

You can follow  Modern Maskulinity at.....

Today on the Back2Basketball podcast we have Dan Becker. Dan is a former Division 1 standout where he played 1 year at St. Joseph's University, before transferring to the University of Colorado.

After graduation, Dan played over 10 years professionally in leagues all over the world. Dan represented Canada in the 1989 World FISU Games in Germany and twice in Taiwan's Jones cup capturing a Silver Medal in 1984.

Currently, Dan is the High-Performance Coach for Basketball Manitoba and a Learning coaching education program. In 2014, he led 17U Team Manitoba to its first-ever Gold Medal in the male division at the Canadian National Championships.

Dan and I discuss the sacrifices he had to make to improve his game, playing all over the world, how training and coaching has changed over the years, as well as some cool basketball stories.

You can follow Dan.....

Today on the Back2Basketball podcast, we have Ashley Besecker, Ashley has a B.S. in Nutritional Science from Pepperdine University, a Genetics and Genomics certificate from Stanford University, and she completed a dietetic internship at Vanderbilt University medical centre. 

Currently, Ashley practices "Functional Performance Nutrition." She works with some of the most elite athletes in the world analyzing their, DNA, blood, goals, and biometrics to design personalized food and hydration plans, supplement prescriptions, sleep protocols, travel protocols, and injury protocols. All to avoid overuse injuries, gain an edge, and help athletes achieve longevity in their sport.

Ashley and I discuss the difference between nutrigenetics and nutrigenomics, what most people get wrong about optimal athlete nutrition, some key vitamins that should be consumed regularly, and some tips for everyday people to optimize their lives.

You can follow Ashley.....

Today on the Back2Basketball Podcast we have Steve Sir. Steve is a professional basketball player. He is a former Division 1 stand-out at Northern Arizona University where he lead the national in 3pt shooting %. A record he still holds to this day. He went on to play 10 years professional in 5on5 basketball. Nowadays, he’s shifted his focus to 3x3 basketball where is he representing Team Edmonton on the professional 3x3 circuit, and Team Canada on the national stage.

Steve and I talk about his preparation while he trains and attempts to qualify for the Olympics. His NBA G league experience, as well as some strategies to stay focused on training and having success while navigating the challenges of the pandemic.

Remember to like, rate, subscribe and write a review on the podcast, as well as follow us on social media.

You can follow Steve.....

https://www.instagram.com/steve_sir_/

He is a Certified Massage Practitioner, Strength & Conditioning Coach, and Corrective Exercise Specialist. He started got ROM after he was prescribed surgery for hip impingement, and rather than get the surgery, he went on a journey to fix himself. That was 10 years ago. Shane is now pain-free and teaching people the techniques he learned throughout his journey. Got ROM has helped thousands of people through their TSR System programs. I am grateful to have Shane on as he and I have a similar story and share many of the same philosophies around training and living life.

Malik is a professional basketball player who graduated from the University of Manitoba. He played last season in Kosovo before the lockdown sent him home. Malik has an interesting injury story, he tore his ACL in his senior year of high school and then tore the other one in his senior year of college.

Malik and I talk about understanding your body and how it works, learning to love the process, skills he’s learned through the rehab process, structural balance, and a funny story about a brawl breaking between fans during a game.

Remember to like, rate, subscribe and write a review on the podcast, as well as follow us on social media.

You can find Malik at.....

Prince Daniels Jr. is a former NFL running back turned high-performance mentor, author and entrepreneur who lives by the mantra: “Nothing is impossible unless you truly believe it is.” His personal story is one of determination and a true-to-life testimony that anything is possible. His football career began as a walk-on for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets but eventually suffered a career-ending injury while at the Baltimore Ravens. Using meditation as the tool for recovery from his depression and loss of identity, he found his calling of helping athletes and high achievers find their vision and purpose in life. Daniels’ new book, Mindfulness for the Ultimate Athlete: Mastering the Balance Between Power and Peace, helps athletes and high achievers reach their ultimate potential.  Because of Prince's story, he also founded Game Beyond the Game as a safe haven for elite athletes to cultivate the mindset to discover their purpose and vision in life, and see it through.

Vyron is a former college basketball player who, after a successful college career, turned his energy towards being an MMA fighter. He’s had quite the ride so far. He’s been on a fight documentary that filmed in Japan, broke his foot and ruptured every tendon in his ankle in the middle of a fight, and oh ya he fought Roy Jones Jr. Vyron, is also a fight coach and takes pride in training the youth, having coached the current women’s Muay Thai champion.

Vyron and I talk about fighting one of the greatest boxers of all time, what kept him coming back after suffering serious two serious injuries back to back, and how he managed the highs and lows of competition.

Remember to like, rate, and write a review on the podcast, as well as follow us on social media.

You can find Vyron at....

Ransford Brempong is a retired professional basketball player who after finishing his career at Western Carolina was the all-time leader in blocked shots, went on to play 5 years overseas as well as 8 years with the Canadian National team. He now lives in North Vancouver, where he focuses his energy on coaching and training youth basketball players. Ransford, also started Westcoast training whose goal is to help grow and develop the game in Vancouver in whatever aspect someone might need. He is also a music lover and a spoken word poet.

We talk about playing against Kobe Bryant and why Kobe was different, The emotions and difficulties of blowing your knee out and the rehab surrounding it. How injuries should change your life for the better, and self-talk and motivation.

Remember to Like, rate, subscribe and write a review on the podcast as well as follow us on social media.

Commentary on things that I liked or learned about the conversations I had this week.

Ask me a question, and I'll answer it on the next episode of what did I learn this week

Dr. Aleksandar Dejanovic aka Dr. Fitbacks is an exercise, Spine Rehab and training specialist. He owns and operates Vertex lab whose vision is to solve a current health problem and improve health by using clinical experience and scientific research 

This was a very in-depth and interesting conversation. We talk about critical exercises for health, the impact of the nervous system on training, and the importance of proper breathing techniques and a bunch of other really cool stuff. 

Remember to Like, rate, subscribe and comment on the podcast and follow us on social media. 

Michael is a former professional 3x3 and 5on5 basketball player. He was ranked number 1 in Canada in FIBA 3x3 as well as 28thin the world. He also was a key member of the Saskatchewan Huskies who in 2010 won the CIS National Championship. He finished his career in the CEBL winning a championship with the Saskatchewan Rattlers. He has won numerous awards, as an advocate for Indigenous youth and for his community involvement. To name a few; Indspire, 3x3 World Tour Most Spectacular Player, the Saskatchewan CBC future 40 under 40, the Chief of Police award for community service, and the Circle of Honour award.

Mike and I talk about the impact of role models, what it takes to be an older athlete and compete at the highest levels, and what obstacles can teach us about ourselves.

Remember to Like, rate, subscribe and write a review on the podcast as well as follow us on social media.

You can find Michael at....

Commentary on things that I liked or learned about the conversations I had this week.

Ask me a question, and I'll answer it on the next episode of what did I learn this week

Eric Sung is a basketball coach and Phys – ed teacher who has coached elite basketball at various levels. He is also a former college basketball player, husband and father. I wanted to bring Eric on the podcast because he has a unique story. He blew his knew out twice…actually check that he blew both his knees out.

Eric and I discuss the challenges that are faced when going through rehab, the power of being educated and having a team around you during rehab, as well as some really good advice for those who want to mitigate any potential knee injuries.

Remember to Like, rate, subscribe and write a review on the podcast as well as follow us on social media.

You can find Eric at....

Kareem is a current professional 3x3 basketball player who is currently training to qualify for the Olympics representing USA. He is a Princeton grad where he played 4 years with the Tigers, afterwards he played in the Netherlands, United Kingdom and Poland. Outside of basketball, he works in the Podcasting world.

Kareem and I talk about being an Olympic Hopeful, how important balance is in your wellbeing, mindfulness and mediation, as well as lessons he’s learned from basketball that he’s applied to everyday life.

Remember to like rate, subscribe, and write a review on the podcast, as well as follow us on social media. 

You can find Kareem at...

Commentary on things that I liked or learned about the conversations I had this week.

Ask me a question, and I'll answer it on the next episode of what did I learn this week

Nick Jack is a personal training specialist and the founder of no regrets training. He has over 10 years of experience in the fitness industry. An avid athlete himself he transformed his life from an in pain weekend warrior who worked in an office. To a pain-free fitness trainer. Nick's mission is to help clients excel and achieve the impossible.

We discuss taking a risk and doing what you love, consistency vs perfection in your workouts, micro-dosing your workouts, the effect of diet on healing injuries, and the power of finding 10 solutions.

Remember to Like, rate, subscribe and comment on the podcast and follow us on social media.

Graham is a Physical Education teacher, and Basketball player who has played on the FIBA 3x3 World Tour, and in the 3x3 EXE premier league in Japan. Currently, Graham represents Canada on the Deaf National team and is currently training to compete at the Deaf Pan American games with a chance to qualify for the Deaf Olympics. He is also, coaches youth and is dedicated to helping in helping to develop their understanding and passion for lifelong physical activity.

Graham and I discuss his basketball journey from being a guy who barely made his high school team to playing professionally. What keeps him motivated to keep going, his philosophy on improvement, and his battle against the decline and his attempt to extend his peak.

Lisa is a Mental Health and Sports Performance Specialist. Who currently works for the Oakland Roots Sports club. She helps elite athletes, across sports in optimizing their performance in their sport and in life, as they balance school/work, relationships, and other responsibilities. She uses mindfulness practices, mental skills training, as well as tending to overall mental health, all while supporting the athlete as a human.

Lisa and I discuss the connection between mental health and athletic performance, the differences between mindfulness, mental skills, and mindset, and things people can do right now to start their own mindfulness practice.

Remember to like, rate, subscribe and write a review on the podcast, as well as follow us on social media.

You can find Lisa

Commentary on things that I liked or learned about the conversations I had this week.

Ask me a question, and I'll answer it on the next episode of what did I learn this week

Graham is one of the world’s leading mental performance coaches. He has worked with some of the NBA’s best athletes and professional organizations. He has developed training programs, and online courses to help athletes, coaches, parents, entrepreneurs, and working professionals take their mental game to the next level. His mission is to bring mental training to the masses so that anyone (not just professional athletes and CEOs) can learn to perform better, and experience more joy in the process.

Graham and I talk about what people get wrong with mindfulness and meditation,  the power of vulnerability, the power of words, strategies for athletes and every day people to incorporate mindfulness in to their lives.

Remember to Like, rate, subscribe and write a review on the podcast as well as follow us on social media.

You can find Graham

Duane is a basketball player who played college basketball for the University of South Carolina, where he is the all-time leader in games played and the 2016 SEC Sixth Man of the Year award.

He’s played overseas and in Canada, representing the National Team, the Raptors 905 of the G League, and the Hamilton Honey Badgers of the CEBL.

Duane and I talk about the toughest players he’s played against, how tearing his Achilles has changed him for the better, strategies for mindset around dealing with injuries, as well as some other cool stuff.

Remember to like, rate, and write a review on the podcast, as well as follow us on social media.

You can follow Duane at...

Commentary on things that I liked or learned about the conversations I had this week.

Ask me a question, and I'll answer it on the next episode of what did I learn this week

Today on the Back2basketball podcast its going to be a little different… I have two guests today. Matthew Koenig and Sherwin Vasallo. Both Matt and Sherwin are strength coaches. They came on today to talk about the ACL and ACL injuries. The goal of the conversation is to try and educate athletes so that they can do everything possible to avoid the dreaded ACL tear. 

We talk about what the ACL is and how the injury takes place, the role the ACL plays in deceleration, specific exercises you should be doing and a bunch of other cool stuff. 

Remember to Like, rate, subscribe and write a review on the podcast as well as follow us on social media. 

You can find Matt and Sherwin 

Today on the Back2Basketball Podcast we have Willie Murdaugh,

Willie is a retired professional basketball player who’s played for over 20 years professionally. He played college at USC- Spartanburg where he was recently inducted to their hall of fame. Some of his accolades include being an All-American as well as the Peach Belt Conference player of the year.

After college, Willie played all over North America in leagues from the CBA to the IBA, and he even played on the Lakers summer league team alongside the young Kobe Bryant. After retiring from 5on5 Willie had success in the FIBA 3x3 game where he was ranked 16th in the world and won multiple World Masters tournaments.

Willie and I talk about competing at an elite level at the age of 45, about playing with Kobe Bryant, and things he regrets.

Remember to like, rate subscribe and write a review on the podcast, as well as follow us on social media.

You can find Willie at....

Commentary on things that I liked or learned about the conversations I had this week.

Ask me a question, and I'll answer it on the next episode of what did I learn this week

Valentin is a physiotherapist who after surgery, had to spend time in a wheelchair. Because of this, he developed chronic back pain. At the time he was studying physiotherapy, he then took it upon himself to get out of the chronic pain cycle. He went on to launch a podcast called mybackrecovery where he hopes to assist people in their personal recovery process.

 Valentin and I discuss the biggest thing people get wrong about their back pain, the importance of movement, the role of mindfulness meditation, as well as tips for people who sit a lot for work. 

Remember to like rate and write a review on the podcast, as well as follow us on social media 

Today on the Back2Basketball Podcast we have Dhruv barman

Dhruv is a professional 3x3 basketball player that plays in the 3BL which is India’s professional 3x3 league. He also participated in the Fiba 3x3 world tour in the Hyderabad masters. He is the former number 1 ranked player in India, a Puma sponsored athlete, a featured athlete on Red Bull half-court, a really great guy, and oh yea… he just tore his Achilles.

Dhruv and I talk about tearing his Achilles heel and his why me moment, why his mindset changed to positively so quickly, his opinion on what grinding means, his perspectives on facing adversity, and his basketball dreams.

Remember to like, rate, subscribe and write a review on the podcast, as well as follow us on social media.

You can find Dhruv at...

Commentary on things that I liked or learned about the conversations I had this week.

Ask me a question, and I'll answer it on the next episode of what did I learn this week

Jon has been a stuntman for over 7 years now. He is a strength and condition coach, and he has a background in martial arts and gymnastics. Jon has written e-books on how to do a handstand, as well as muscle-ups… He has also developed an environmentally safe cleaner for pads and gloves.

Jon and I discuss his transition into the stuntman world things people get wrong in the training and health world, self-care practices to keep you grounded, as well as advice for people who are struggling to stay consistent with their training.

Remember to Like, rate, subscribe and write a review on the podcast as well as follow us on social media.

Erfan is a former professional basketball player and after a 10 career, he now focuses his energy on helping people through his online coaching platform Ultimate health lead. He believes in a holistic approach to health and wellness.

His mission is to help busy men & women, to find time in their schedule for healthy habits, so they can finally get their health under control.

Erfan and I discuss life after basketball, the holistic philosophy to health and wellness, some tips to eat healthily, perfection vs progress, and why mindfulness should be part of everything you do.

Remember to Like, rate, subscribe and write a review on the podcast as well as follow us on social media.

Commentary on things that I liked or learned about the conversations I had this week.  

Ask me a question, and I'll answer it on the next episode of what did I learn this week  

Matthew Is the founder of Alliance Athletics who’s goal is to Empower People to Perform, Boost Resiliency and Live Pain-Free. Matt is a former college basketball player and he also played on the FIBA 3x3 world tour.

Matt was prescribed ankle surgery, he didn’t get the surgery, he decided to fix himself. Today we talk about ankle range of motion, how important the ankles are in performance, how the ankles function with other areas in your body and what exercise people can do to start developing more resilient and robust ankles.

Remember to Like, rate, subscribe and write a review on the podcast as well as follow us on social media.

You can find Matthew at....

Emily Potter is a basketball player who after finishing her career at the University of Utah was the all-time leader in blocked shots, 11th all-time in scoring and 5thin rebounds. She now plays professional basketball in Europe. Outside of basketball, she focuses on normalizing mental health awareness where she regularly shares her own experiences. She also developed an adult colouring book that she sells with all the proceeds going to support the Sarah Strong fundraiser for mental health awareness.

Emily and I discuss her ACL injury and how that changed her life, strategies she uses to combat the human condition, advice for people who are suffering alone with their mental health, and things people should focus on who’ve suffered an ACL injury, or any injury for that matter.

Remember to Like, rate, subscribe and write a review on the podcast as well as follow us on social media.

I wanted to share a little about my story and why the podcast is called Back2Basketball...

"Dr. McGill and I talk about the idea of "Spine Hygiene". Popular back pain myths. The role the core plays in your back pain, and why mastering your craft could be the key to removing pain from your life. "

Dr. Stuart M. McGill is a professor emeritus, University of Waterloo, where he was a professor for 30 years. His laboratory and experimental research clinic investigated issues related to the causal mechanisms of back pain, how to rehabilitate back-pained people and enhance both injury resilience and performance. His advice is often sought by governments, corporations, legal experts, medical groups and elite athletes and teams from around the world.

His work produced over 240 peer-reviewed scientific journal papers, several textbooks, and many international awards. He mentored over 37 graduate students during this scientific journey.

During this time he taught thousands of clinicians and practitioners in professional development and continuing education courses around the world.

He continues as the Chief Scientific Officer for Backfitpro Inc. Difficult back cases are regularly referred to him for consultation. Any product associated with this website has been tested in Dr. McGill’s laboratory.

He has worked with professional athletes in Basketball, Football, Hockey, MMA, and Olympians from various sports.