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Listen "Rachel Vickery- Former International Gymnast, and High-Performance Consultant"
Episode Synopsis
Episode Sub-title: “How our kids can perform better from the Beam to the Boardroom"
In this episode of the Building Resilient Kids podcast, Tim Curtis speaks with Rachel Vickery, former international gymnast turned high-performance consultant to elite athletes, special forces units, and corporate leaders across the globe.
Rachel brings her deep experience from gymnastics and years working behind the scenes with Olympic teams, the NBA, Premier League, World Rugby, and even Australia’s special operations, to share insights into how we can raise emotionally and physiologically resilient kids.
This is a deep dive into the mechanics of pressure, breath, mindset, and how adults, whether parents, educators, or coaches, can build safe, supportive environments for kids to thrive in.
Key Themes & Takeaways:
The critical role of breath mechanics in identifying and managing stress in children
How stress manifests differently in boys vs girls, and how to spot the signs of overload
Why nasal breathing, posture, and even mouth shape matter for long-term health and performance
The downside of early sports specialisation—and the upside of “white space” and unstructured time
Coaching under pressure: how language, cues, and framing can build (or break) resilience
The physiology of fear and how to reframe high-stakes moments with kids
What elite athletes and elite kids have in common: identity, allostatic load, and emotional regulation
The magic of teaching children curiosity over outcome—and how that shift boosts both confidence and performance
Learn more at: resilienceshield.com/kids
Resources & Further Reading
Rachel Vickery Official Website: https://rachelvickery.com
Rachel’s work in breathing, pressure performance, and resilience consulting.
The Unforgiving60 Podcast: Rachel Vickery” Where Rachel first joined Ben and Tim to explore high-performance and personal evolution.
“Growing Up in Lycra” – Seminar Series. An exploration of the physiological and emotional challenges of early elite sport environments (referenced in the podcast).
Breath Mechanics Resources:
Buteyko Institute – Education on functional breathing techniques
James Nestor – “Breath” – Bestselling book on the science of breathing
Understanding Allostatic Load
Harvard Health: The toll of chronic stress
ScienceDirect: Allostatic load and stress physiology
Youth Sport & Long-Term Development Models
Australian Sports Commission – Physical Literacy Framework
NSCA Long-Term Athletic Development Position Statement
In this episode of the Building Resilient Kids podcast, Tim Curtis speaks with Rachel Vickery, former international gymnast turned high-performance consultant to elite athletes, special forces units, and corporate leaders across the globe.
Rachel brings her deep experience from gymnastics and years working behind the scenes with Olympic teams, the NBA, Premier League, World Rugby, and even Australia’s special operations, to share insights into how we can raise emotionally and physiologically resilient kids.
This is a deep dive into the mechanics of pressure, breath, mindset, and how adults, whether parents, educators, or coaches, can build safe, supportive environments for kids to thrive in.
Key Themes & Takeaways:
The critical role of breath mechanics in identifying and managing stress in children
How stress manifests differently in boys vs girls, and how to spot the signs of overload
Why nasal breathing, posture, and even mouth shape matter for long-term health and performance
The downside of early sports specialisation—and the upside of “white space” and unstructured time
Coaching under pressure: how language, cues, and framing can build (or break) resilience
The physiology of fear and how to reframe high-stakes moments with kids
What elite athletes and elite kids have in common: identity, allostatic load, and emotional regulation
The magic of teaching children curiosity over outcome—and how that shift boosts both confidence and performance
Learn more at: resilienceshield.com/kids
Resources & Further Reading
Rachel Vickery Official Website: https://rachelvickery.com
Rachel’s work in breathing, pressure performance, and resilience consulting.
The Unforgiving60 Podcast: Rachel Vickery” Where Rachel first joined Ben and Tim to explore high-performance and personal evolution.
“Growing Up in Lycra” – Seminar Series. An exploration of the physiological and emotional challenges of early elite sport environments (referenced in the podcast).
Breath Mechanics Resources:
Buteyko Institute – Education on functional breathing techniques
James Nestor – “Breath” – Bestselling book on the science of breathing
Understanding Allostatic Load
Harvard Health: The toll of chronic stress
ScienceDirect: Allostatic load and stress physiology
Youth Sport & Long-Term Development Models
Australian Sports Commission – Physical Literacy Framework
NSCA Long-Term Athletic Development Position Statement
More episodes of the podcast The Building Resilient Kids Podcast
Building Resilient Kids: The Mission Begins
29/06/2025
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