The Curious Competitor is a journey into the pursuit of improvement and well being-physically, mentally, and spiritually. In each episode, NHL Defenseman Connor Carrick speaks with some of the world's highest performing people about how they curate and execute their respective craft. Connor Carrick dives deep into the path and process of each guest, and the lessons learned on how to live more curiously, passionately, and purposefully. All on a quest to become a more Curious Competitor.
Episodes
Wednesday Sep 06, 2023
Wednesday Sep 06, 2023
In this episode, we welcome Dr. Nikole MacLellan aka “Dr. Kokes”, a naturopathic doctor and fellow member of the Designs For Sport advisory board. We talk about the dance between sympathetic and parasympathetic states for athletes, strategies for getting back into a parasympathetic state after an event, how to balance a playful approach in stressful situations, and using breathwork as a tool to build your CO2 tolerance. Dr. Nikole also dives into the tradeoffs that often occur between performance and longevity, why you should build a support team of different professionals you trust, and how to endure the darker periods as an athlete.
Dr. Nikole on socials @sportsdockokes
Check out her podcast “The Off Season Podcast” on all platforms
Episode Overview:
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2:30 - What athletes should be doing less of
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7:00 - Parasympathetic recovery tools
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14:00 - Managing your lifestyle as an athlete
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18:00 - Changing your beliefs about performance
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21:00 - Breathwork as a tool for building CO2 tolerance // breathwork as a powerful tool
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30:00 - Building your foundation before adding external factors
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32:00 - Performance and longevity
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38:00 - Importance of building a support team
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42:00 - Navigating dark periods as an athlete
- 45:00 - Developing phrases to improve performance
To purchase my favorite Designs For Sport supplements visit www.connorcarrick.com
TOLOS BAREFOOT SHOES - Use Code “CC” for 10% Off Your Order - https://weartolos.com/
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Visit our YouTube for additional content
Wednesday Aug 30, 2023
Wednesday Aug 30, 2023
In this episode, we are joined by the founding members of Apex Cool Labs, Ariel Paul and Evy Lyons to discuss their new and innovative palm cooling device “The Narwhal”. Ariel and Evy share their inspiration for creating Apex Cool Labs, how your core body temperature and local muscle temperatures affect your performance and why palm cooling is such an effective tool. They also discuss the use of palm cooling for downregulation at the end of your workout and to reduce delayed-onset muscle soreness, the optimal temperature for palm cooling to see results, and how palm cooling can be used to aid those who experience exercise intolerance.
Discover Apex Cool Labs on all socials @Apexcoollabs
Visit ApexCoolLabs.com
Episode Overview:
- 1:30 - How Ariel and Evy got started
- 7:30 - How temperature can affect performance
- 10:30 - Why palm cooling is an effective tool
- 15:30 - Palm cooling and post-workout recovery
- 21:00 - The trick to cooling down before bed
- 27:00 - How to hack a palm cooling device and the optimal temperature for palm cooling
- 34:00 - Other brands we love in the fitness space
- 40:00 - Palm cooling for exercise intolerance
- 53:00 - Where you can find Apex Cool Labs
TOLOS BAREFOOT SHOES - Use Code “CC” for 10% Off Your Order - https://weartolos.com/
To purchase my favorite Designs For Sport supplements visit www.connorcarrick.com
Follow Connor’s Instagram or Twitter
Visit our YouTube for additional content
Wednesday Aug 23, 2023
Wednesday Aug 23, 2023
Do you ever wonder how your brain works? In this episode, we have the privilege of hosting Neurotherapist Dr. Andrew Hill, who graciously guides us through an exploration of cerebral operations. Following our participation in Quantitative EEG "brain mapping," we had the opportunity to interpret the ensuing data in real time during the podcast. Our analysis delves into an array of brain patterns, connections, and states of neural activity. Notably, several of these revelations unveil significant correlations with the daily-life symptoms I encounter and even extend to my athletic performance, all without any prior interaction with Dr. Hill. Our discussion extends to the impact of brain injuries on function, alongside an examination of how brain mapping holds promise for forthcoming athletes. We conclude by addressing pivotal lifestyle factors poised to enhance cognitive capabilities.
Episode Overview:
- 1:14 Understanding The Tests Of My Brain
- 3:39 Interpreting My Results - Performance
- 6:22 My Brain Patterns and Brain Waves
- 16:55 Why Connor Might Have Brain Fog
- 18:55 Being Tired Wired and Sleep
- 27:05 Acquired Vs Learned Brain
- 33:05 How Brain Mapping Could Help Future Athletes
- 48:19 Lifestyle Factors To Boost Results
- 58:52 Conclusion
Connect With Peak Brain Institute at https://peakbraininstitute.com/
To purchase my favorite Designs For Sport supplements visit www.connorcarrick.com
TOLOS BAREFOOT SHOES - Use Code “CC” for 10% Off Your Order - https://weartolos.com/
Follow Connor’s Instagram or Twitter
Visit our YouTube for additional content
Wednesday Apr 05, 2023
Wednesday Apr 05, 2023
If you're a hockey player or any sport for that matter, and If you're looking to gain an edge on your opponents and train your brain in the same way that you train your body, then watch this video! Scott Livingston shares with us his methods for training our brain in the same way that we train our body, and it's sure to help you unleash your athletic potential!
In this episode, I welcome renowned Performance Coach and Physical Therapist Scott Livingston. We discuss the concept of Neuro Reconditioning, and how traditional training modalities fail to consider how the brain functions. We talk about the importance of individuality in training based on sport, position, injury history, and body type. We also chat about the hidden challenges of working through injury as well the importance of disrupting narratives we tell ourselves.
Episode Overview:
- 0:00 Introduction
- 0:47 What Is Neuro Reconditioning?
- 18:12 Short Falls Of Typical Training Philosophy
- 25:25 Understanding Individuality In Training
- 33:20 The Hidden Challenge Working Through Injury
- 41:30 Physical Vs. Mental Issues (Software Vs. Hardware)
- 45:04 Interupting The Narratives We Tell Ourselves
- 57:20 The Four Stages Of Competence Related To Sport
Connect With Scott Here:
https://www.instagram.com/kingopain/
Website: https://www.reconditioningHQ.com
Leave Your Mark - https://leaveyourmark.buzzsprout.com/
TOLOS BAREFOOT SHOES - Use Code “CC” for 10% Off Your Order - https://weartolos.com/
To purchase my favorite Designs For Sport supplements visit www.connorcarrick.com
Follow Connor’s Instagram or Twitter
Visit our YouTube for additional content
Wednesday Mar 29, 2023
Wednesday Mar 29, 2023
In this episode, I break down some of my thoughts on the latest NHL trade deadline as well, as some personal stories of players that have been moved. I also discuss some recovery modalities I use to help me regulate my nervous system and maximize athletic performance during the season. I also talk about the importance of emotional regulation and off-season training advice for youth athletes.
TOLOS BAREFOOT SHOES - Use Code “CC” for 10% Off Your Order - https://weartolos.com/
To purchase my favorite Designs For Sport supplements visit www.connorcarrick.com
Follow Connor’s Instagram or Twitter
Visit our YouTube for additional content
Episode Overview:
- 0:00 Introduction
- 2:14 Thoughts on Trade Deadline
- 2:25 Dmitry Orlov
- 6:57 John Klingberg
- 10:20 Tanner Jeannot
- 11:46 Patrick Kane
- 17:11 Heart Rate Variability & Nervous System Regulation
- 20:20 Red Light Therapy & Dopamine
- 21:45 Napping & Non-Sleep Deep Rest
- 23:11 Importance Of Protein Consumption
- 24:12 Disrupting Of Routine
- 24:23 Visualization
- 26:35 Reading
- 27:48 Addressing Injuries
- 29:30 Training Advice For Youth Athletes
- 35:35 Emotional Regulation For Importance
- 37:57 Final Thoughts
Wednesday Mar 08, 2023
Wednesday Mar 08, 2023
In this episode, I sit down with Jeff Lovecchio, a former professional hockey player and current trainer and co-host of the Hockey Think Tank Podcast. We talk about how it’s not enough to just show up in the sport of hockey, how to grow confidence through discipline, and how to learn from your mistakes. Jeff also shares his journey from a professional athlete to becoming a trainer, his methods of using visualization to better his game, and the role models he looks at to expand his toolbox and better help his clients.
Listen to Jeff on the Hockey Think Tank Podcast: https://www.thehockeythinktank.com/podcast
Episode Overview:
- 2:00 The Game Within the Game
- 8:00 Discipline vs Motivation
- 12:30 From Professional Athlete to Trainer
- 21:00 Learning From Past Mistakes
- 24:00 How Storytelling Can Help or Hinder Your Game
- 32:00 Using Visualization to Better Your Game
- 38:00 Setting the Standard vs Responding to It
- 42:00 Hockey Role Models
- 50:00 Working Smarter and Harder
Wednesday Mar 01, 2023
Wednesday Mar 01, 2023
In this episode, I am joined by Jack Han, a hockey consultant, former NHL analyst, and AHL coach. We discuss Jack’s approach to personalized player analytics and development, what it’s like to work alongside NHL head coaches and the exhausting nature of a hockey season. We also dive into the importance of storytelling to improve your game, how you can use hockey as a vessel to reach your long-term goals, and different exercises to better your physical and mental game.
Connect with Jack on Twitter: https://twitter.com/jhanhky
The Hockey Tactics Newsletter: https://jhanhky.substack.com/
Timeline:
- 4:00 - Jack’s Approach to Player Analytics
- 7:30 - Player Analytics vs Head Coaches
- 14:00 - Exhaustion During the Season
- 17:00 - Storytelling vs Analytics
- 22:00 - Hockey as a Vessel to Reach Long-Term Goals
- 31:00 - Showing Up in a Competitive Environment
- 35:00 - Visualization Using Time Horizons
- 48:00 - Growing Together as a Team
Wednesday Dec 28, 2022
Wednesday Dec 28, 2022
In this episode, we welcome Strength Coach Jim Ferris. Jim is known for his work in the basketball community from training with the Philadelphia 76ers for many years and training several NBA players that live their offseason in the Philadelphia area. We discuss how to adapt your training for performance and recovery metrics and identify weak links in training protocols. We also dive into where most athletes fail to focus on for their off-season training, and how playing the long game is the key to a sustainable and injury-free career. We also discuss the challenges in youth development in sports and the success of your training is completely individual.
Episode Overview:
- 3:14 How To Adapt Training Based On Performance and Recovery
- 8:30 Balance Old-School Training Work Ethic Vs. Modern Approaches
- 12:30 Identifying Weak Links In Training & Working With Other Trainers
- 18:20 How To Get The Most Out Of Your Summer Training
- 22:40 Where Athletes Should Focus On Training
- 27:00 Balancing Life and Training
- 29:16 Playing The Long Game In Training
- 33:20 The Individuality Of Training
- 35:54 What Does Basketball Do Right and Wrong?
- 39:47 Challenges In Youth Development and Training
- 45:47 Redefining Success In Training
- 53:30 What Struggles Do You See With Modern Athletes?
Connect with Jim at https://gymferris.com/
To purchase my favorite Designs For Sport supplements visit www.connorcarrick.com
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Visit My YouTube for additional content
Wednesday Dec 21, 2022
Wednesday Dec 21, 2022
In this episode, I sit down with Christian Burrus and Jeremy Tucker from Adapt Fitness, an app for customized training programs from top hockey performance experts. We talk about setting your training goals as an athlete based on your needs from the game, how Adapt Fitness can help fill gaps in various aspects of your athletic training, how to manage the stress of all the moving parts in maintaining your health and the game, and how to manage the tradeoffs between training and sleep. We also dive into why you should be customizing your training specific to your goals and needs, how to draw inspiration from the previous generation of athletes, and why education on all aspects of your training is the key to being a great athlete.
Episode Overview:
- 2:00 - Welcoming Christian and Jeremy
- 3:45 - What is Adapt Fitness
- 8:45 - Setting Your Training Goals
- 11:30 - Why Athletes Need Extra Support
- 18:00 - Managing the Stress of All the Moving Parts
- 22:00 - Tradeoffs in Your Training
- 24:45 - Why You Should Customize Your Training
- 30:00 - Taking Inspiration From the Previous Generation of Athletes
- 38:00 - Education and a Growth Mindset
- 44:00 - Comparing Training Around the World
- 47:00 - Training for Amateur vs. Professional Athletes
- 52:00 - Adapt Success Stories
- 57:00 Conclusion
Visit https://www.adaptfit.io/ to learn more about Adapt Fitness App
To purchase my favorite Designs For Sport supplements visit www.connorcarrick.com
Follow Connor’s Instagram or Twitter
Visit My YouTube for additional content
Wednesday Dec 14, 2022
Wednesday Dec 14, 2022
In this episode I am joined by Sam Whiting, a human potential specialist, to discuss all things breathwork. Sam talks about his journey as an alpine ski racing athlete and how he came to discover breathwork in his training, how to gain the ability to notice your nervous system and why breathwork is a powerful tool for wellness. Sam talks about the importance of training your breathing muscles, and the different types of breathwork practices, and teaches some tools accessible to everyone when starting with breathwork. We also dig into the impacts of chronic mouth breathing, the connection between your breath, your physiology, and your psychology, and how you can use breathwork to help influence your state of being.
Sam's Jackson Hole Winter Experience - https://www.samuelwhiting.com/jackson
Free Week Of Passes Available Here
Edge Theory Labs - Use Promo code "WhitingEnergy" For A Discount
Visit Sam at https://www.samuelwhiting.com/
To purchase my favorite Designs For Sport supplements visit www.connorcarrick.com
Follow Connor’s Instagram or Twitter
Visit our YouTube for additional content
Episode Overview:
- 10:30 Why Breathwork?
- 22:00 Training Your Breathing Muscles
- 26:00 Inhale vs Exhale
- 29:30 Different Types of Breathing Practices
- 35:30 Using Breathwork in Your Daily Life
- 47:00 Chronic Mouth Breathing
- 51:00 Breathwork and Physiology
- 57:00 Adaptability Through Your Habits
- 1:00:00 How to Work With Sam