EPISODE 29 - Pro Athlete Training, Nutrition, Sleep & Travel w/ Tim Difrancesco

In this episode, Dr. Bubbs sits down with former LA Laker Head Strength & Conditioning Tim Difrancesco to take a deep dive into the life of a professional athlete. From training strategies and muscular imbalances, to identifying nutrition and supplementation goals, managing sleep and off-setting the stress of travel. Tim also shares his journey to working in the NBA and what he learned along the way, as well as some fantastic tips and actionable take-aways for you to upgrade your training, nutrition and performance!

Athlete’s Edge "Lay-Ups"

1)   Movement – Goblet squats are a great place to start to groove the movement pattern.

2)   Nutrition - Avoid toxic vegetable oils  (canola, soya, corn, safflower, sunflower, etc.) commonly found in packaged foods - even in the “healthy” packaged foods!

3)   Career – Be willing to take risks and ready to make sacrifices (i.e. the “shit sandwich!”).

Athlete’s Edge "Performance Hacks"

1)   Training – for athletes with disproportionate levers or muscular imbalances, consider lifting from rack position.

2)   Longevity – tendons and ligaments respond to training loads, therefore it's crucial to maintain as you age (don’t just hit the pool!)

3)   NBA “PB & J” – for instant energy use organic peanut butter + sourdough/sprouted bread + low-sugar jam spread!

Coffee Talk

Tim’s Morning Coffee Reflection (+5 minute journal) 

About Tim DiFrancesco

Tim DiFrancesco, former Head Strength & Conditioning Coach of the Los Angeles Lakers for the past 6 seasons and the founder of TD Athletes Edge, helping athletes gain THE EDGE in nutrition, training and recovery. He is nationally renowned for his evidence-based and scientific approach to fitness, training, nutrition, and recovery for athletes and fitness enthusiasts. Follow Tim on Twitter.