Lift Free And Diet Hard with Andrew Coates
The Lift Free and Diet Hard Podcast dives deep into the science and practice of living a strong, healthy, and intentional life. Hosted by Andrew Coates, the show brings together inspiring guests to share insights, stories, and practical advice that empower listeners to build confidence, make informed choices, and stay resilient in their fitness and wellness journeys. Every episode encourages thoughtful exploration of what it means to lift free, diet hard, and live fully.
Episodes
#513 Steven Sahyoun - Injury Rehab Through Training
Steven Sahyoun coaches performance and rehabilitation, helping people move from injury back toward the demands of training and sport.Steven joins me to discuss why rehab should look more like training, how to appropriately load injured tissue, and why simply becoming pain-free does not necessarily mean someone is ready to perform.We discuss:• What Steven means when he says “tendons need load, not
#512 Stuart McMillan - Sprinting and Skipping: The Need For Speed
Stuart McMillan is one of the world’s most respected and decorated sprint coaches.He joins me to share his expertise on speed, sprinting, skipping, movement quality, youth development, coaching, and the balance between complexity and simplicity.We discuss:• Why adults tend to stop moving fast and powerfully• Why speed and intensity variability may matter as we age• Whether everyone actually needs
#511 Pete Dupuis - So You Want To Be A Fitness Professional
Pete Dupuis is an icon of gym ownership, business development, and mentorship within the fitness industry.Pete returns to share what aspiring coaches should understand before turning their passion for fitness into a career—and how the industry has changed over the last two decades.We discuss:• Advice for fitness enthusiasts considering a career in the industry• Realistic expectations of what worki
#510 Jordan Lips - A Passion for Fibre
Jordan Lips is passionate about fibre - perhaps more than anyone else I’ve met - and maybe you should be too.Jordan joins me for a deep dive into fibre, gut health, food variety, beans, lentils, supplements, misinformation, and practical ways to increase your intake without making yourself miserable.We discuss:• How much fibre someone actually needs• Why fibre intake is about more than hitting one
#509 Brad Dieter - Lack of Disease Doesn’t Mean You’re Healthy
Brad Dieter, now CEO of FITTR, returns to the podcast to bring the perspective of his PhD in Exercise Physiology to a wide-ranging conversation about coaching, trust, health, alcohol research, GLP-1 medications, and the future of fitness.We discuss:• What the “commoditization of everything” means• Why commoditization can hurt both coaches and consumers• Where lower-cost standardized services can a
#508 Sam Miller - Revisiting the PCOS to PMOS Reclassification
Sam Miller returns to the podcast to discuss the transition from PCOS to PMOS, what the change actually means, and why the conversation seemed to disappear almost as quickly as it arrived.We also get into women’s health messaging, sleep, training nutrition, endurance fueling, and the career setbacks that rarely make it onto social media.We discuss:• Why discussion around PCOS becoming PMOS died do
#507 Jonah Rosner - Endurance Sport Training and Nutrition Masterclass
Jonah Rosner is a sport scientist specializing in strength and conditioning for endurance athletes.Jonah joins me to break down the research behind endurance training, strength work, cardiovascular programming, injury risk, recovery, and race-day nutrition.We discuss:• Why distance runners should lift heavy without routinely training to failure• How strength training can support running performanc
#506 Dan Garner - How to Improve Your Performance in Life and Fitness
Dan Garner is one of the most sought-after performance coaches among professional athletes, MMA competitors, and celebrities, while also working in performance research.Dan joins me to share lessons from coaching high performers and explain how the same principles apply to everyday people who want better results in fitness and life.We discuss:• Results-oriented vs. activity-oriented thinking• Proc
#505 Elizabeth Ward & Hillary Wright - Menopause Nutrition
Elizabeth Ward and Hillary Wright are registered dietitians, authors of *The Menopause Diet Plan*, and together are known as The Menopause Dietitians.They join me to cut through the noise around menopause nutrition and explain what actually changes, what gets exaggerated online, and which habits matter most.We discuss:• Whether metabolism actually slows during menopause• Age, hormones, activity, a
#504 Harley Pasternak - Diets and GLP-1 Use in Popular Culture
What happens when evidence-based nutrition collides with celebrity culture, fad diets, GLP-1 medications, and increasingly extreme body-image trends?Harley Pasternak is an internationally renowned trainer, author, educator, and professor who has coached some of the most famous people in the world.He joins me to discuss what fitness and nutrition actually look like behind the scenes—and how very di
#503 Kevin Carr - How to Train for Independent Aging
Kevin Carr is co-owner of several businesses and brands, including Mike Boyle Strength and Conditioning and Certified Functional Strength Coach, and author of the new book Prescribing Movement as Medicine.Kevin returns to share lessons from years of coaching athletes and everyday people, including how to train for performance today while preserving strength, capability, and independence for decade
#502 Luke Tulloch - How to Maximize Your Training When Time Constrained
Luke Tulloch is one of my favourite communicators of evidence-based hypertrophy training.Luke returns to talk about how becoming a parent forced him to rethink his training, remove low-value habits, and focus on what actually produces results.We discuss:• How parenthood changed Luke’s training for the better• Why constraints can improve your program• Cutting non-essential training and tracking• Ho
#501 Stan Efferding - Nutrition for Muscle Growth
Stan Efferding is an icon of bodybuilding, powerlifting, and elite evidence-based coaching.Stan returns with his unique ability to interpret cutting-edge research and combine it with decades of real-world experience coaching athletes at every level.We discuss:• Whether you actually need to be in a calorie surplus to build muscle• How large a calorie surplus should be if the goal is maximizing musc
#500 Dr. Layne Norton - You Will Not Outwork Me
I’m honoured to celebrate episode #500 with Dr. Layne Norton as my guest.Layne is an icon of the fitness industry: a prolific educator, author, champion, world-record-holding powerlifter, and a major influence throughout my own career.For this milestone, Layne joins me for a wide-ranging and personal conversation about work ethic, resilience, coaching, evidence, public battles, money, family, and
#499 Dr. Sean Pastuch - Live More, Hurt Less
Dr. Sean Pastuch returns to share lessons from his career and his new book, Live More, Hurt Less.Sean joins me to discuss:• How he defines “Live More, Hurt Less”• What that philosophy looks like in real life• Why helping people feel heard can be such an important part of navigating pain and movement limitations• The three identities Sean believes are relevant to meaningful change• The “Be, Do, Hav
#498 Emma Storey-Gordon - Fat Loss for Women, Insulin Resistance, and Training Rep Ranges
Emma Storey-Gordon is one of my favourite authorities and communicators when it comes to combining evidence-based fitness and nutrition with practical, real-world application.Emma returns to share her expertise and discuss her new book, The Fat Loss Coach for Women.We get into:• Whether fat loss is fundamentally different for women• Which differences are physiological and which are rooted more in
#497 Dr. Darren Candow - Creatine and Your Brain, Performance, Bone Health, and Sleep
Dr. Darren Candow is one of the world’s leading researchers and authorities on creatine and joins me to separate what we know from what is still hype.Darren joins me to discuss:• How to sift through the evidence and hype surrounding creatine• What the research actually says about creatine and brain health• Whether creatine may have a role in concussion and head-trauma research• The current evidenc
#496 Dr. Tony Boutagy - Do Men and Women Need to Train Differently to Build Muscle?
Dr. Tony Boutagy holds a PhD in Exercise and Sports Science and returns to dive into the research on sex differences, muscle growth, aging, cardio, recovery, grip strength, and several persistent myths in the fitness industry.Tony joins me to discuss:• Whether men and women need meaningfully different training programs to build muscle• Relative versus absolute differences in muscle-building potent
#495 Ben Yanes - Why Your Assessment Might Be a Waste of Time
Ben Yanes makes his long-overdue first appearance on the podcast and brings his trademark nuance to assessment, biomechanics, exercise selection, injury narratives, science-based fitness, and what good coaching actually looks like in the real world.Ben joins me to discuss:• Why “a vast majority of the assessments you’re doing are a total waste of everyone’s time”• Why skilled coaches are continuou
#494 Max Aita - The Best Principles From the Bulgarian, Russian, and American Strength Systems
Max Aita is an elite strength coach and accomplished competitor who joins me to share lessons from decades of training, coaching, and studying some of the most influential strength systems in history.Max joins me to discuss:• The history of the Bulgarian, Russian, and American strength-training systems• How the three systems differ in philosophy and application• The foundational coaches and figure
#493 Christian Thibaudeau - Training With Isometrics, Eccentrics, Complexes, and Cluster Sets
Strength and conditioning legend Christian Thibaudeau returns to share advanced training strategies for building muscle, improving performance, and programming with greater intent.Christian joins me to discuss:• Whether he feels pressure to remain visible and relevant on social media after a legendary coaching career• How experimenting with long-duration isometrics changed his training• What isome
#492 Jason Brown - In Defense of Zone 2 Cardio
Jason Brown returns for a nuanced discussion about Zone 2 cardio, walking, conditioning, stress, recovery, and how cardio should fit into an individual’s life.Jason joins me to discuss:• Whether Zone 2 cardio is actually overrated• How much of Zone 2’s benefit comes from simply getting people moving• The value of reducing sedentary time and increasing daily activity• The relationship between Zone
#491 Dr. Austin Baraki - Are Testosterone Levels Really in Massive Decline?
Dr. Austin Baraki joins me to challenge the popular narrative that testosterone levels are collapsing across society and to examine what the available evidence actually shows.Austin joins me to discuss:• Whether men’s testosterone levels have declined dramatically in recent decades• Where the testosterone-decline narrative originated• Why viral claims often move faster than the evidence• How obesi
#490 Q Willey - Does Training With Barbells Cause More Injuries?
Q Willey is a Doctor of Physical Therapy and Certified Strength and Conditioning Coach who joins me to discuss barbell training, back pain, injury risk, metabolic health, rehabilitation, and the way strength training is often portrayed online.Q joins me to discuss:• Why no existing studies show that squats or deadlifts cause back pain• Whether barbell lifts are inherently riskier than other forms
#489 Dr. Pak Androulakis-Korakakis - The Minimum Effective Dose for Muscle Building
Dr. Pak Androulakis-Korakakis returns to explain what the research says about the minimum effective dose for muscle growth, strength, health, and long-term physical independence.In this episode, we discuss:• The minimum amount of training required to build muscle• Whether minimum-dose training produces meaningful real-world results• How inactive and metabolically unhealthy people respond to resist
#488 Dr. Gary McGowan - Cholesterol, High Blood Pressure, and Cardiovascular Disease
Dr. Gary McGowan drops in to share a masterclass on cardiovascular disease and its major risk factors, including:The relationship between cholesterol and cardiovascular diseaseWhy LDL cholesterol is importantWhat causes LDL cholesterol to riseThe dietary factors that can increase LDL cholesterolNavigating misleading claims about LDL from the carnivore diet communityWhy elimination diets can appear
#487 Joe DeFranco - Long Live In-Person Training
Iconic gym owner, podcaster, strength coach, educator, and trainer of elite athletes Joe DeFranco returns to share insights from decades of coaching in person.Joe shares:Why he still coaches in person, and why it's essential for both his physical and mental well-beingWhat keeps him energized after decades as a coach and gym ownerWhy relationships matter more than anything else for client succe
#486 Alberto Nunez - Zen and the Art of Bodybuilding
Coaching and bodybuilding legend Alberto Nunez of Team 3DMJ joins me for a humble discussion about the principles that have made him one of the most respected coaches in natural bodybuilding.Alberto shares his thoughts on:Does training advice from the competitive (and untested) bodybuilding world still work for natural everyday lifters trying to build muscle?The differences and similarities betwee
#485 Dr Andy Galpin - Sleep Masterclass
Dr Andy Galpin shares a masterclass in sleep for everyday quality of life.Andy adds nuance to the often oversimplified and misleading claims about sleep, including:Why your sleep is the biggest opportunity to improve your quality of lifeDefining poor sleep versus sleep deprivationWhat are the acute negative effects of poor sleep?Why people are remarkably resilient after one night of poor sleepHow
#484 Dr Nick Tiller - The Health and Wellness Lie
Dr Nick Tiller joins me to share a scathing critique of the health and wellness industry, including:Why the health and wellness industry isn’t your friend—it’s a trillion-dollar conDefining the wellness industryThe most concerning wellness trendsWhy the wellness industry has become so massiveThe incentives for influencers and even credentialed "authorities" to grift on bogus wellness pro
#483 Brad Jensen - Being A Real Human On Social Media In An Age Of AI Automation
My good friend Brad Jensen returns in a more casual conversation between two old friends catching up. We wanted to share this discussion with you, so we hope you come along for the ride.Brad shares his thoughts on:People commenting on "his account" as if he isn't even a real personNever imagining the reach and impact of his contentWhether all of the engagement from social media is ac
#482 Dr Emily Dow - Cortisol, Hormone Balancing, and Zone 2 Vs Higher Intensity Cardio
The Professor of the Dark Arts, Dr Emily Dow returns by popular demand. Emily has seen a huge surge in popularity, and for good reason. Her media is thoughtful, intelligent, and extremely well communicated.Emily joins me to talk about:Why "high cortisol" has become the new hormonal imbalanceWhat cortisol actually does, and why acute elevations in cortisol are not only not bad for you, bu
#481 Ashley Hodge - Glute Training Mastery
Ashley Hodge is a strength coach and powerlifter and joins me to talk about her knowledge and experience with practical, evidence-based glute training.Ashley shares her thoughts on:Is glute training as complicated as glute influencers make it out to be?Is there a difference in how you approach glute training for competitors versus the general population?For the everyday person with time for only t
#480 Amy Morin - The Mental Strength Playbook
I’m a voracious reader and it’s a special treat to feature as a guest a popular mainstream author whose books I love.Amy Morin is a therapist and the author of several books including The Mental Strength Playbook and 13 Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do.Amy joins me to share her expertise about:What are the most important things mentally strong people don’t do from her listWhy “not giving awa
#479 Dr Mike Israetel - Drugs To Build Muscle and Lose Fat Without Needing to Work Out
Dr Mike Israetel returns to enlighten you on what’s coming in the future of health, fitness, and aesthetics. Mike’s new book, The Aesthetics Revolution, is available everywhere June 23rd, so grab a copy.Mike shares what we may see happen in the relatively near future, including:Will we have access to drugs that build muscle without working out (and we’re not talking about PEDs)Roughly when could w
#478 Steve Kamb - How To Try Again
Steve Kamb joins me to talk about the ideas from his new book, How to Try Again: An Approachable Guide to Navigating Chaos and Making Change.Steve shares wisdom about:Which is harder: starting, or starting againThe "Back to Normal" fallacyThe importance of a bias toward actionDo people wait for optimal timing?Do people believe it will go smoothly this time?Do people fail to anticipate ob
#477 Stuart Locke - Being Hard to Kill, Being Easy to Coach
Stu Locke is a renowned powerlifting coach and joins me to share his experience with:Surviving a recent near-death health scareThe dumbest and most effective strategies Stu has tried to intentionally gain weightWhy he believes most people are focused on the wrong stuff in their trainingWhy he believes in “aggressive and violent intent toward whatever goal you want to accomplish”The kind of mental
#476 Dr Mike T. Nelson - Stop Doing Zone 2 and Start Doing Zone 3 Cardio
Dr Mike T. Nelson returns to set the fitness industry ablaze with the claim that Zone 2 cardio is overrated and not particularly effective for most people.Mike goes into detail on:Why he feels Zone 3 cardio is substantially more effective and efficient than Zone 2What the evidence and research says about Zone 2 and Zone 3The cardiovascular adaptations actually happening in Zone 2 and Zone 3What Zo
#475 Dr Andy Fata-Chan - How To Not Let Other People (Or Yourself) Hold You Back From Your Dreams
Dr Andy Fata-Chan is a Doctor of Physical Therapy.Andy joins me to share mindset and wisdom gleaned from his journey from an underachieving and unfocused student to an in-demand mentor dominating the fitness industry, including:What “I need to dream bigger” means for Andy and for everyoneIs it easier to play small in lifeWhy changing can become a threat to the people in your lifeWhy people don’t t
#474 Dr Mike Banna - Why Are Fitness Influencers Scared of GLP-1 Drugs
Dr Mike Banna is a physician in the UK health care system and passionate health educator.Mike guests to share his experience with:What’s going on with “pro” and “anti” GLP-1 medication people and tribesWhy fitness influencer fat loss drug opposition is rooted in fear and scarcityHow concern for alleged celebrity GLP-1 medication use tipped over into body shamingWhy coaching has never been more imp
#473 Dr Dwayne Jackson - Reclassifying PCOS to PMOS, What This Means
Dr Dwayne Jackson returns to break down the implications of the reclassification of PCOS to PMOS (Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome).Including:What the reclassification meansWhy it’s important and helpful for outcomesHow it affects careDo GLP-1 medications help in PMOSDwayne also explains:The newest updates about the triple agonist Retatrutide research and what this meansReconciling anecdot
#472 Dr Eric Helms - Do You Need To Train To Failure, Do You Need More Than 1 Set, Do You Need More Than 6 Reps To Build Muscle?
Dr. Eric Helms returns to add important nuance to the extreme and absolute claims we see on social media about building muscle.Have you ever heard the following claims:“Only the last 5 reps count, everything else is junk volume”“You need to train to failure to build muscle”“There’s no benefit to more than 1 hard set for hypertrophy”“You never need to train more than 4–6 reps for hypertrophy”“Peopl
#471 Dr Meghan Sak-Ocbina - Things Your Physical Therapist Wishes You Knew
Dr Meghan Sak-Ocbina is a Doctor of Physical Therapy and Strength Coach and joins the show to share her expertise on:All the things your physical therapist wishes you knewThe issues within the system that make their role more difficultThe challenge between the cost of education and compensation in physical therapyTheir desire to give you the best care conflicting with the insurance modelWhy burnou
#470 Martin MacDonald - Why Aggressive Dieting Works Better Than Slow Dieting
Martin MacDonald is one of my longest sought after guests and we finally got to sit down and record a podcast. And it’s worth the wait.You’ve heard the narratives about:Faster weight loss causes greater weight regain laterSlower fat loss leads to better long term successFaster weight loss contributes to eating disordersFaster weight loss causes metabolic damageMore aggressive dieting automatically
#469 Angus Bradley - “I Used To Think Zone 3 Was No Man’s Land, Now It’s Where I Spend Most Of My Training”
Angus Bradley is one of the most entertaining and educational strength coaches in the industry. I learn new things frequently so I needed to pick his brain in this podcast interview. Angus’s excitement and enthusiasm for our craft is infectious in this episode, and we dive into his thoughts including:Angus’s thoughts on fitness influencers who do bodybuilding for 10+ years then credit yoga, pilate
#468 Krista Scott-Dixon - Hunger, Behavior Change, and Identity
Krista Scott-Dixon returns to share details about her new book — Applied Nutrition Coaching and Counseling: Theory to Practice — and her expertise about:In our modern world, can we trust our hunger signalsWhy Krista believes “hunger is a skill”What happens physiologically and psychologically with hunger when we’re in a calorie deficit and losing weightWhy changing your behavior is hardDoes behavio
#467 Dr Jordan Feigenbaum - Why GLP-1 Drugs Cause Less Muscle Loss Than People Think
Dr Jordan Feigenbaum is a medical doctor, strength coach, elite powerlifter, and founder of Barbell Medicine and joins me to break down the evidence about:Why the narrative about losing muscle mass while using GLP-1 agonist and similar weight loss drugs may be more misleading than you believeWhy GLP-1 agonist drugs may be even better than diet alone for liver fat, even when equated for resistance
#466 Erica Mulholland - Managing Injuries In Female Youth Sports
Erica Mulholland is a strength coach who specializes in young female athletes and the author of Female Athlete High Performance.Erica joins me to share her expertise on:Are injury rates higher in young female athletesWhat’s going on with knee injuries in young female athletesWhat increases knee injury risk and what we can do to reduce that riskIs early sport specialization a problem for young athl
#465 Dr Trevor Kouritzin - Supplement Quality, Safety, and Counterfeiting
Dr Trevor Kouritzin holds a doctorate in medicine and a master’s in human nutrition. Trevor works in supplement formulation and joins me to share his expertise in:Is there a problem with quality across the supplement industryHow does third-party testing workHow are American and Canadian regulations differentWhat is “nitrogen spiking” in protein powder and is this still an issueThe problem with “pr
#464 Alex Sterner - Can A More Skilled Fighter Beat A Heavier Opponent In MMA?
Alex Sterner is a black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and a strength coach who specializes in training fighters. He joins me to share his insight and experience about:Does weight difference matter in MMADoes weight difference matter more or less in different sports and different situationsWhat are the benefits of learning a martial artShould everyone learn a martial artDoes media popularity create s
#463 Mike Doehla - Nutrition Coaching With GLP-1s, AI, and Changes to the Business Landscape
Are you a nutrition coach? Are you a client of a nutrition coach or a nutrition coaching business? Are you someone who’s been using GLP-1 agonist medications for fat loss or are you someone who’s used AI like ChatGPT or a nutrition coaching app? This is for you.Mike Doehla returns to talk about the current state of nutrition coaching and nutrition coaching businesses now that Stronger U has shut d
#462 Annie Short - Hypermobility Masterclass
Are you hypermobile? Do you coach people with hypermobility? Do you know someone with Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome? This episode is a deep dive for you.Annie Short is a strength coach and expert in hypermobility and how to strength train around it. Annie goes into great detail to explain important and related concepts including:What are HEDS and POTS (Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (HEDS
#461 Jack Hallows - Is Fitness Social Media Becoming More Narcissistic?
Jack Hallows feels like a rare coach who blends entertaining and evidence-based social media without resorting to being polarizing or combative.Jack returns to share his insight into:“Stitching” other fitness professionals’ contentThe rise of status-chasing and often narcissistic influencersThe incentives for influencers to chase status and even lie about core parts of their identityThe recent shi
#460 Dr Emily Dow - Creatine, Wearable Devices, Net Carbs, and Gut Microbiome
Dr Emily Dow has been taking fitness and nutrition media by storm with her detailed and nuanced takes. She’s a great example of an emerging powerhouse with the education and credibility to help everyone, someone I was thrilled to have as a guest and share with everyone.Emily shares her expertise on:Is creatine safe during pregnancyShould people use creatineWhat are the proven benefits and overhype
#459 Dean Somerset - Personal Trainer Career Masterclass
Author, personal trainer, and prolific fitness industry educator Dean Somerset returns as we film live in person (watch on YouTube or Spotify).Dean shares his experience with:Is it reasonable to expect to live completely pain free for lifeWhat acute factors increase injury riskHis best practices to minimize injury riskHow to communicate with clients dealing with painHow to manage and work around p
#458 Dr Katie Dabrowski – The Role of Metabolic Health and Obesity In Injury Rehab
Dr Katie Dabrowski returns to educate on the magnitude of the role metabolic health and obesity play in injury risk and rehab. Katie shares expertise on:Defining metabolic healthThe importance of addressing the full picture of a person and not just the localized site of pain and injuryThe mechanisms behind how excess body fat can increase injury risk and pain, and hinder rehabWhat “poor tissue qua
#457 Cody McBroom - Will A.I. Save You?/How To Save Yourself
Cody McBroom is a sports nutritionist, personal trainer, and founder of Tailored Coaching Method.Cody joins me to share his thoughts on:Will AI like ChatGPT help people get healthier, stronger, lose weight, or is it just another way for people to consume info without acting on itHow will AI integration in fitness apps help end usersHow creating your environment helpsWhy “pre-deciding” is powerfulH
#456 Jon Heck - Masterclass: Fat Loss Nutrition
Jon Heck is a sought after strength and nutrition coach who’d previously worked for 9 years in Division 1 and NFL strength and conditioning.Jon joins me with lessons and expertise in:How to structure fat loss phasesWorking with people seeking to lose substantial body fatWhy Jon always starts with strength training and step counts with fat lossCan you hold the simultaneous goals of high performance
#455 Jason Brown - The Pressure To Be Successful In A Fitness Career
Jason Brown returns in a unique episode where he opens up about some of the behind the scenes pressure and challenge of being a fitness professional including:His struggles with being pulled in multiple directions between coaching and educatingWhy he shut down his programming course after a successful launchGetting clear on what lights him up vs what doesn’t fulfill him and causes stressAlignment
#454 Cillian O’Connor - Does Your Training Split Matter, The Problem With Optimization, and Survivorship Bias In Fitness
Cillian O’Connor is a strength coach with a masters of strength and conditioning who joins me to share his skill and philosophy about:Does your training split really matterWhy trying to over optimize training programs and lifestyle usually leads to failureWhy starting with an extreme approach may be an intentional or subconscious way to prove someone isn’t the type of person who can be fit and hea
#453 Dr Tommy Wood - How to Reduce the Risk of Cognitive Decline and Dementia
Dr Tommy Wood is a leading authority on neurodegenerative disease, cognitive health and decline, and related lifestyle interventions. Tommy has a medical degree from the University of Oxford, and a PhD in physiology and neuroscience.I believe every guest and episode are excellent, but this episode and topic are off the charts for importance and valuable information. Everyone should care about thei
#452 Elizabeth Davies - Training For Your Old Lady Body
Elizabeth Davies is the author of Training For Your Old Lady Body and famous for the quote:“Training for my summer body? Fuck no. I’m training for my old lady body. Dense bones, strong muscles, a healthy heart, good balance, functional independence.”Elizabeth joins me to share her thoughts and experience about:What is SkinnyTok and why it’s dangerousThe cycles of body image standards and why chasi
#451 Sheridan Skye - Is Resistance Training Safe During Pregnancy?
Sheridan Skye is a pre-and postnatal coaching specialist and educator and joins me to share her expertise about:Is resistance training safe for pregnant womenDo mom and baby have better outcomes when the mother works outWhy some physicians might be hesitant to advise their clients to workout during pregnancyAre there medical conditions where women should avoid or approach working out with caution
#450 Robert Linkul - Cardiovascular and Cognitive Health For Older Adults
Robert Linkul is the master of Training the Older Adult and returns with more lessons about working with this population, including:-How Robert’s own extensive medical history helps him relate to the injuries and restrictions of older populations-How we as coaches think about our own aging, and eventual shift into this demographic, and how we approach our training to prepare-Why he doesn’t plan to
#449 Gareth Sapstead - How To Transform Your Physique and Your Life
Gareth Sapstead, my long time T-Nation writing peer joins me to talk about his new book (which I contributed to) and share wisdom and experience about:-Where to start if you look in the mirror and you’re not happy with what you see-How to approach your training and nutrition if you want to change your life-How social support matters if you’re aiming to change your life and health-Thinking in terms
#448 Josh Hillis - How To Not Let Your Nutrition Fall Apart During Holidays and Special Occasions
Josh Hillis returns with more of his eating skills mastery and shares thoughts on:-The sheer number of holidays and special occasions that end up justifying off track eating behaviour-How to approach special occasions without falling off track-Understanding the skill of being able to notice when you’re full and stop-Understanding the skill of being willing to sit with the feeling of wanting more-U
#447 Dr Natasha Barnes - Does Weighing Less Make For Better Climbers and Athletes?
Dr Natasha Barnes returns to share her expertise on climbing and strength training and how these principles apply broadly to everyone, including thoughts about:-Are lighter climbers better climbers-The problem with focusing on weighing less as a performance enhancer in climbing-Is disordered eating more prevalent in climbing and weight class sports?-Are more climbers coming around to the value of
#446 Dr Lauren Colenso-Semple - Wellness Peptides and Differences Between Men’s and Women’s Training
Dr Lauren Colenso-Semple is back to tackle a series of current trends, narratives, and pseudoscientific claims in fitness and wellness, including:-Is there any quality human research on “wellness peptides”-What are wellness peptides-Why are they becoming more popular-Is there any evidence to suggest that muscle building is any different for women than men-Is there any evidence that birth control a
#445 Susan Niebergall - Strong Instead of Skinny
Susan Niebergall - author and one of the most visible female fitness authorities in the industry - returns to share her wisdom on aging, strength, recovery, metabolism, and redefining what women should strive for physically.In this episode, Susan and Andrew discuss how cultural messaging pushed generations of women toward being skinny instead of strong, how strength training changed her recovery a
#444 Nick Shaw - Where “Science Based Lifting” Went Wrong
Nick Shaw — CEO of RP Strength, author, and IFBB Pro Bodybuilder — returns to the show to discuss how the “science-based lifting” space evolved from education into competing ideologies.In this episode, Nick and Andrew break down what actually matters for building muscle, why online hypertrophy debates have become tribal, and how context — including training age, anthropometry, and life constraints
#443 Stefan Gehrig - From Studying Muscle Wasting Disorders to Making The Best Gym Bags In The World
Please enjoy this rare bonus Saturday episode with Stefan Gehrig, founder of KNKG - my favourite gym bag and duffel company.Stefan also holds a PhD in Muscle Biology and worked in research studying muscle wasting disorders before pivoting into entrepreneurship. While he no longer works directly in academia, I didn’t want to miss the opportunity to ask valuable questions about his expertise in musc
#442 Alex Effer - Biomechanics 101
Alex Effer is a clinical exercise physiologist and biomechanics educator.Instead of getting your biomechanics education from TikTok, this episode brings one of the industry’s most thoughtful teachers to break down what actually matters - and what doesn’t - when it comes to understanding how your body moves.THIS EPISODE COVERS:How much a basic understanding of biomechanics actually matters for the
#441 Luke Hanna - The New Food Pyramid: What’s Right, What’s Wrong, and Why People Won’t Follow It Anyway
Luke Hanna holds a Master’s degree in Obesity and Clinical Nutrition and a degree in Sport and Exercise Science. He has become one of my favourite authorities on evidence-based nutrition.Luke joins the podcast to break down the controversy surrounding the new American food pyramid - what it gets right, where it falls short, and why most people won’t follow it regardless.THIS EPISODE COVERS:The att
#440 Dr. Christle Guevarra - What’s New In Weight Loss Drugs?
Dr. Christle Guevarra is a board-certified physician in family and sports medicine and an expert in GLP-1 agonist medications and other weight loss drugs.Christle returns to take us through a deeper dive into the rapidly evolving world of weight loss medications, including new drugs in development, societal implications, influencer narratives, and what patients should actually be thinking about wh
#439 Dr. Supriya Joshi - Alcohol, NAFLD, and Your Liver Health
Dr. Supriya Joshi is a gastroenterologist, hepatologist, and lecturer at the University of Toronto. She joins the show to share her expertise on liver health and to clarify many of the misconceptions surrounding alcohol, fatty liver disease, insulin resistance, supplements, and environmental risk factors.In this episode, Dr. Joshi breaks down what Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) is, why
#438 Brad Stulberg - The Way of Excellence
Brad Stulberg returns to the show to share lessons from his newest book, The Way of Excellence.In this episode, Brad joins Andrew Coates to explore what excellence actually means for everyday people — not elite performers chasing perfection, but normal humans trying to live well, work with purpose, and avoid burning out in a noisy, overstimulating world.This conversation unpacks the difference bet
#437 Jonathan Goodman - Seasons of Unhinged Intensity
Jonathan Goodman is one of the most influential thought leaders and entrepreneurs in the fitness industry. After years of building businesses and platforms, Jonathan has now made writing books his primary focus.In this episode, Jonathan joins Andrew Coates to unpack the ideas behind his new book, Unhinged Habits, and to challenge some of the most sacred advice in personal development — especially
#436 Shona Vertue - Are Yoga and Pilates Enough to Build Muscle, Bone, and Strength for Life?
Shona Vertue combines her background as a strength coach, yoga teacher, and psychology graduate to coach and educate people across the world.In this episode, Shona joins Andrew Coates to explore what yoga and Pilates actually are, what they do well, and where they may fall short if used as the only training method—especially as we age.This conversation moves beyond surface-level takes to examine s
#435 Michael Mash - I’d Rather Be Strong and In Pain Than Weak and In Pain
Michael Mash is a Doctor of Physical Therapy and the founder of Barbell Rehab. Known for bridging the gap between rehabilitation and strength training, Michael returns to challenge some of the most common fears surrounding injuries, barbells, and lifting heavy.In this episode, Michael joins Andrew Coates to explain what he really means when he says “I’d rather be strong and in pain than weak and i
#434 Dan Feldman - Is Gluten Intolerance Real? Is Eating Organic Food Healthier?
Dan Feldman returns for a masterclass in evidence-based nutrition, covering two of the most debated topics in modern health conversations: gluten intolerance and organic foods.Dan is a trusted voice in evidence-based nutrition media and practice, and in this episode he joins Andrew to break down what the research actually says — without fear-mongering, food moralizing, or ideology.THIS EPISODE COV
