Athletic Shoulder - Richie Gray: Bridging Rehab & Performance in Collision Sport

Episode 215: In this episode of the Athletic Shoulder Podcast, Ben Ashworth is joined by Richie Gray — founder of GSI Performance and one of the leading voices in contact and collision coaching globally.

With over two decades of experience across elite sport, Richie has helped shape how athletes prepare for contact at the highest level. His work spans international rugby, the NFL, and world-class environments including the Springboks, Flying Fijians, and RC Toulon — alongside ongoing contributions to global governing bodies such as World Rugby and USA Football.

Across the conversation, Richie breaks down what it truly takes to prepare athletes for the demands of collision sport — from technical precision and physical readiness to building systems that hold up under pressure. The discussion explores the intersection of coaching, equipment, and methodology, highlighting how his frameworks have redefined both performance and player welfare.

The episode also dives into the critical distinction between return to play and return to performance, offering a clearer pathway for practitioners looking to bridge the gap between rehabilitation and real-world sport. Richie shares practical insights into integrating technical skill within physical preparation, developing athlete confidence through progression, and applying innovative tools to better replicate the demands of contact environments.

Topics Discussed:

• The journey of collaboration in sports rehabilitation
• Return to performance vs return to play
• The role of technique in injury prevention
• Innovative training equipment in collision sport
• Progression in rehabilitation and athlete confidence
• Frameworks for effective shoulder injury management
• Integrating technical skill into physical preparation
• Coaching philosophy and the future of contact training
• Bridging the gap between research and practice

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Where you can find Richie:

• LinkedIn

• Website

• Instagram

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Sponsors

Gameplan is a rehab Project Management & Data Analytics Platform that improves operational & communication efficiency during rehab. Gameplan provides a centralised tool for MDT’s to work collaboratively inside a data rich environment

VALD Performance, makers of the Nordbord, Forceframe, ForeDecks and HumanTrak. VALD Performance systems are built with the high-performance practitioner in mind, translating traditionally lab-based technologies into engaging, quick, easy-to-use tools for daily testing, monitoring and training

Hytro: The world’s leading Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) wearable, designed to accelerate recovery and maximise athletic potential using Hytro BFR for Professional Sport.

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Where to Find Us

Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following Inform Performance on:

• Instagram
• Twitter
• Our Website

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Our Team

• Andy McDonald
• Ben Ashworth
• Nicola Graham
• Steve Barrett
• Pete McKnight