IF YOU JUST WANT THE TAKEAWAYS, JUMP STRAIGHT TO THE 43:35 MARK!

Dr. Zach Guiser and John trace the evolution of dry needling from ancient Eastern acupuncture to modern Western "trigger point" therapy, examining whether the practice is truly safe and effective for athletes.

• 00:00 – Introduction and the history of Acupuncture, "Chi," and Meridians
• 02:31 – Wet Needling vs. Dry Needling: JFK’s physician and trigger points
• 04:13 – The TJ Watt Black Swan Event: A punctured lung in the NFL
• 05:06 – Defining Trigger Points and Proposed Mechanisms of Action
• 11:30 – Study #1: Efficacy for chronic low back pain (Short-term vs. Long-term)
• 14:11 – How "Sham" Dry Needling works in research
• 17:40 – Study #2: Dry needling for musculoskeletal conditions (Meta-analysis)
• 27:24 – Study #3: Dry Needling vs. Manual Therapy (Head-to-Head)
• 30:14 – Study #4: Dry Needling in Sports and Performance (The 2025 Evidence Gap Map)
• 33:27 – Study #5: Safety Data and Adverse Events (Minor vs. Major)
• 41:12 – The Philosophy of Risk: Fat-Tailed Risks and Black Swans
• 43:35 – Summary, Zach’s Final Stance, and Attia Categories
• 46:00 – The Legality of Dry Needling: Ohio vs. Pennsylvania vs. the UK

Everything in these newsletters, podcasts, social media, and on our website is for educational purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice for you or your athlete. Consult directly with a healthcare professional.

Use the swing planner for free at gtperformance.co/swingplanner.

Dr. Zach Guiser addresses the disproportionately high rate of preventable low back injuries in softball by explaining the concept of Acute to Chronic Workload Ratio (ACWR). He highlights a dangerous volume discrepancy where athletes take up to five times more swings in a single practice or lesson than they do on game day, often leading to a spike in injury risk during early-season ramp-ups. To solve this, he introduces a free digital swing planner that helps athletes gradually increase their workload within the "sweet spot" of 0.8 to 1.3 to ensure safe and durable athletic development.

• 00:00 – Introduction: The Problem with "More"
• 01:05 – The Softball Back Pain Epidemic
• 01:46 – Three Factors Driving Back Injuries
• 02:30 – Understanding Acute to Chronic Workload Ratio (ACWR)
• 03:59 – The Volume Gap: Game Day vs. Practice Swings
• 05:10 – How to Build an Intentional Ramp-Up Period
• 06:20 – The Free Swing Planner Tool
• 07:47 – Special Considerations for Softball Pitchers
• 08:43 – Softball vs. Baseball: Why the Injury Rates Differ
• 10:00 – TLDR: The Sweet Spot for Performance

Everything in these newsletters, podcasts, social media, and on our website is for educational purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice for you or your athlete. Consult directly with a healthcare professional.

Dr. Zach Guiser addresses the overwhelming "noise" of modern nutrition advice by introducing a structured six-level checklist designed to help athletes build near-automatic competency in their fueling habits.

The progression begins with foundational habits like meal frequency, protein intake, and hydration before advancing to more technical strategies such as nutrient timing, AI tracking, and precision weighing.

Guiser encourages athletes to be proactive by managing their pantry environment and meal planning, while ultimately maintaining that an athlete's worth is independent of their performance on the field or in the kitchen

• 00:00 – Introduction: The Commitment Gap
• 00:46 – Level 1: Frequency, Protein, and Hydration
• 01:41 – Level 2: Fruits, Veggies, and Liquid Calories
• 02:11 – Level 3: Processing, Supplements, and Timing
• 04:15 – Level 4: Caloric Targets and AI Tracking
• 04:41 – Level 5: Manual Weighing and Measuring
• 05:10 – Level 6: Advanced Blood Work and Imaging
• 05:53 – Strategies for Proactive Success
• 06:47 – Final Thoughts: Worth vs. Performance

Creatine Info:

• https://gtperformance.co/creatine/
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdQRMYsZZac