Doc Talks is a podcast that bridges the gap between clinical expertise and everyday performance. Hosted by Dr. Nick Rohlfs, a sports chiropractor and performance expert, we dive into the world of injury prevention, recovery, and optimization for athletes and active individuals alike. Each episode features candid conversations with top experts—whether they’re physicians, physical therapists, coaches, or elite athletes—offering actionable insights to keep you strong, resilient, and performing at your best. Whether you’re dealing with nagging pain or striving for that next PR, Doc Talks is where science meets real-life performance.
What It Really Takes to Become an Endurance Athlete | Frank DeJulius (Fleet Feet)
In this episode of Doc Talks, Dr. Nick Rohlfs sits down with Frank DeJulius, owner of Fleet Feet Cincinnati, to break down what it truly takes to become an endurance athlete.
From first-time runners to marathon finishers, this conversation dives into:
• What separates someone who runs from someone who becomes a runner
• The biggest mistakes athletes make when training for races
• Why runners get injured—and how to avoid it
• The role of footwear, training structure, and recovery
• How community and coaching impact long-term success
Whether you’re training for your first race or looking to level up your performance, this episode gives you a clear framework to build durability, consistency, and results.
In Part 1 of this two-part episode of Doc Talks, Dr. Nick Rohlfs sits down with Dr. George Matic to break down what truly drives performance, durability, and long-term health in athletes.
Using the Performance Pyramid as a framework, we dive into:
• Why strength training is the true foundation of injury prevention
• How movement quality impacts performance and breakdown
• The overlooked role of cardiovascular capacity in recovery and durability
• What separates athletes who stay healthy from those who don’t
This episode focuses on building the system behind performance—not just chasing results.
👉 Part 2 will dive into peptides, biologics, and the future of sports medicine.
20 Feb 2026
Dr. Tim Kremchek- Medical Director for The Cincinnati Reds
For nearly 30 years, Dr. Tim Kremchek has served as an orthopaedic surgeon and Medical Director for the Cincinnati Reds, caring for elite athletes at the highest level of professional baseball. In this episode of Doc Talks, we reflect on three decades inside Major League Baseball and explore how sports medicine has evolved over time.
We discuss the rise of Tommy John surgery, why arm injuries continue to increase despite medical advances, how professional athletes have changed physically and mentally, and what truly builds long-term durability. Dr. Kremchek also shares insights on earning trust with high-profile athletes and what young clinicians should understand about leadership in sports medicine.
This conversation blends experience, perspective, and practical lessons from the front lines of professional sport.
20 Feb 2026
Jeff Wilson- CEO of Soundtrace. Impacts of Hearing Health
Most athletes train strength, speed, vision, and recovery — but almost nobody thinks about hearing as a performance variable.
In this episode of Doc Talks, Jeff Wilson, CEO of Soundtrace, joins us to discuss how loud environments impact reaction time, communication, cognitive load, and long-term brain health. We explore why hearing loss is cumulative, how noise exposure acts like an untracked form of workload, and why protecting your hearing may actually be a recovery strategy.
If you care about durability, performance, and athlete longevity, this is a conversation you don’t want to miss.
26 Jan 2026
Endurance Athletes with AJ Sobrilsky PT DPT
In this episode of Doc Talks, I sit down with endurance coach and physical therapist AJ Sobrilsky for a deep-dive conversation on what truly drives performance, fatigue, and long-term durability in endurance athletes.
We break down why athletes tend to fade late in races and training blocks, the difference between central vs peripheral fatigue, how to train for fatigue resistance (not just fitness), and why smarter recovery leads to better long-term performance.
This episode applies to:
— cyclists
— mountain & gravel endurance athletes
— long-course runners
— ultradistance & hybrid athletes
— anyone training for high-volume aerobic events
⸻
🔎 Topics We Discuss
• Central vs. peripheral fatigue — what they are & how each shows up in long efforts
• Why athletes fade late in races (even when fit)
• How to train for fatigue resistance instead of only fitness
• The role of Zone 2 training in long-term aerobic durability
• Nervous system vs muscular fatigue — how they interact
• Recovery as a true performance tool
• How training decisions impact durability over months & years, not just one race
⸻
💬 Key Takeaway
Performance isn’t about who trains the hardest —
it’s about who manages load, fatigue, and recovery the smartest.
⸻
🎙 Guest — AJ Sobrilsky
• Endurance Performance Coach
• Physical Therapist
• Background in ultrarunning & endurance sport development
25 Jan 2026
Rotational Athletes with Joe Combs DPT
What separates elite rotational athletes from everyone else isn’t strength — it’s sequencing.
In this episode of Doc Talks, Dr. Nick Rohlfs, DC sits down with Joe Combs to break down the biomechanics of rotational athletes and why timing, coordination, and kinetic chain efficiency drive both performance and injury risk.
This conversation dives deep into how rotational power is created, why so many athletes leak power, and how faulty sequencing leads to common injuries in golf, tennis, and baseball.
Topics Covered:
• What defines a rotational athlete and how rotational power differs from linear power
• The kinetic chain, from ground contact to arm speed
• Why rotational power is about timing, not strength
• Proper vs. faulty sequencing and the “whip effect”
• How childhood motor development (rolling, crawling, gait) influences adult performance
• The consequences of skipped developmental patterns and excessive container time
• Common injury patterns caused by poor sequencing:
• Lumbar compression in golf
• Elbow tendinopathy in tennis
• Shoulder overload in throwing athletes
• Screening principles to identify power leaks:
• Hip IR/ER symmetry
• T-spine rotation
• Rib cage and pelvic control
• Anti-rotation strength
• A sequencing-based training progression:
• Stability → Controlled Rotation → Dynamic Rotation → High-Velocity Power
This episode is essential listening for athletes, coaches, parents, and clinicians working with rotational sports such as golf, tennis, baseball, softball, and pickleball.
25 Jan 2026
Elbow Tendonitis with Dr. Maldonado
Elbow tendinitis is common in athletes, lifters, and active individuals — but it’s often misunderstood and poorly managed.
In this episode of Doc Talks, Dr. Nick Rohlfs, DC sits down with Dr. Maldonado to break down elbow tendinitis from a performance and sports medicine perspective.
We cover:
• What elbow tendinitis really is (and what it’s not)
• Common causes in athletes and active populations
• Why pain persists despite rest or traditional treatment
• Tendon loading, tissue capacity, and biomechanics
• Imaging, injections, and when they are (or aren’t) appropriate
• Rehab principles for long-term tendon health
• Return-to-training and return-to-sport considerations
This conversation is geared toward athletes, coaches, clinicians, and anyone dealing with persistent elbow pain who wants an evidence-based approach beyond quick fixes.
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