Jay Dicharry on Developing Your Inner Athlete

In this episode, Jay Dicharry, expert in biomechanical analysis, physical therapist, and director of the REP Lab, explores what it means to develop your inner athlete so that you can perform at your best, stay uninjured, and live your healthiest life. Jay explains how he became interested in the art of running injury-free: from his technique-driven background as a competitive swimmer to being an injury-prone high school cross country runner. He discusses his inspiration to study physical therapy and how he expanded his PT work to fuse the fields of clinical practice and engineering at the University of Virginia’s Speed Clinic, where he refined his knowledge of biomechanical analysis. Jay explores why humans are meant to run, yet must also respect the principles of uniqueness and uniformity in developing one’s inner athlete. He provides insight from his current work at the REP Lab in Bend, Oregon, where he empowers athletes to correct imbalances before they affect one’s performance. Lastly, Jay shares what inspires him now, from research projects to his own training.