Unbranded with Nick Ridpath
Unbranded with Nick Ridpath is a podcast about having real conversations with real coaches about training and performance. Nick works with general population clients, busy high-achieving professionals, and collegiate and professional athletes — D1, NFL, UFC — and shares the same evidence-based principles he uses with them, applied for coaches and people who take their training seriously. Practical insights that work, without the fluff.
Episodes
E35: I Was Wrong About These Training Rules
Two sets to failure. Beat the logbook. Never skip your mobility routine. I used to buy into all of it—and coaching more people changed my mind.This week I break down how my approach to cardio, training volume, failure and progressive overload has changed. We also get into overcomplicated warm-ups, redundant exercises, posture, supersets and nutrition advice that sounded smart but made me feel like
E34: Why Hard Work Isn’t Working
At some point, trying harder stops being the answer. Once you’re already training hard and consistently, the next jump in progress comes from getting better at directing that effort.Nick breaks down why more advanced training requires more intentionality, using glute training as the main example—from building the skills to hinge, stabilize, and produce force to progressing toward B-stance RDLs, si
E33: Why a Good Program Still Gets Bad Results
A good program on paper doesn’t guarantee good results.This week I’m talking about what happens after you write the program. The exercises might fit the client’s goals, schedule, and skill level, but are they doing them the way you intended? Are they training hard enough? And when something hurts or progress stalls, do you actually know why?A friend of mine had a client report shoulder pain during
E32: How to Get More Out of Less Time in the Gym
A shorter workout doesn’t have to be a throwaway workout—but you need a better strategy than cramming an 80-minute program into 40 minutes.I break down how to get more out of limited training time by cutting redundant exercises, choosing equipment that lets you train hard quickly, making your warm-up productive, and strategically using supersets, drop sets, rest-pause sets, and shorter rest period
E31: Stop Blaming Your Ankle Mobility for Your Ugly Squats
This conversation details Nick going solo again — a podcast-numbers scare, a shout-out to the YouTube channel closing in on 1,000 subscribers, and a rant on the Instagram comment section "experts" who argue confidently about topics they don't train in. He uses that to break down why "stability" has become a buzzword — and where base of support, load, and skill actually do change how stable you are
E30: Quality Over Quantity
$85 bag of coffee beans, a bring-your-own-seatbelt gym rant, and why your posture probably isn't the problem you think it is.He opens with a London recap (Prescript seminar, a cursed British Airways flight, and what teaching a room full of students still teaches him) and a quick AI-in-coaching update after testing the new ChatGPT model. Then it's into the meat of the episode: a physics-class analo
E29: AI Hype, Glute-Tie-In Myths, and Free Weights vs. Machines: Solo Q&A
Back solo again, this time gearing up for a trip to London for a Prescript seminar. Opening with why he still travels to learn six years into his career, even as an experienced coach. From there it's rant, then Q&A: why he doesn't overthink how he sounds on the mic, why "get rich" marketing aimed at coaches misses the point, why postural assessments and the "glute-hamstring tie-in" are mostly
E28: Dr. Dwayne Jackson on Gut Health, GLP-1s, and the Muscle-Building Myths That Won't Die
Nick sits down with Dr. Dwayne Jackson, a PhD in exercise physiology, former pro motocross racer, and former bodybuilder, for a wide-ranging, no-filter conversation. They start with Dwayne's path from pro motocross and Bombardier Sea-Doo racing into bodybuilding and academia, then get into why building muscle was never really about a big caloric surplus, how bodybuilding's drug culture has shifted
E27: Trading Mass for Athleticism with Will Carter
For 15 years, Will Carter built his identity around getting as big as possible. Now he's training for a half marathon.Nick sits down with Will Carter, owner of No Limits Fitness in Monroe, NC and a longtime natural bodybuilder, to talk about why he's stepping back from bodybuilding and shifting toward more athletic, general-fitness training. Will lays out the real reasons: he's likely near his gen
E26: Stop Chasing Mobility — Get Strong Instead: Solo Q&A
This conversation details Nick going solo for the first time — no guest, no back-and-forth, just an hour of unfiltered opinions on where the industry gets movement wrong. He opens with a rant on the internet's obsession with peptide flexing before diving into corrective exercise, functional movement screening, and the mobility-as-fix-all trend that's taken over social media.From there it's a rapid
E25: Stop Mimicking Sports in the Weight Room with Steven Sahyoun
This conversation details the mechanics of bridging early-stage rehab to late-stage performance, building raw physical capacity for combat sports, and navigating modern industry trends. Steve breaks down the vital distinction between a medical diagnosis and a movement diagnosis, explaining why low-stimulus rehab inputs must eventually progress into high-stimulus tissue loading to drive true adapta
E24: The Truth About Sport Specificity with Kyle Rogers
This conversation details high-level pitching development, bridging the gap between skill coaching and strength & conditioning, and navigating modern baseball development trends. We discuss the unique business and development landscape of the MLB draft, NIL deals, and the massive skill gap between college and big-league baseball. Kyle Rogers leverages his background as a pitching coordinator a
E23: What Everyone Gets Wrong About Pregnancy and Pelvic Floor Dysfunction | Dr Meghan Sak-Ocbina
This conversation details the intersection of clinical physical therapy with coaching, and the biomechanics of perinatal and postpartum training. We discuss why rushing into online coaching too early stunts professional development, emphasizing how in-person training allows coaches to accumulate critical movement data and refine cues exponentially faster than remote coaching. Dr. Meghan leverages
E22: Stop Over-Complicating Your Programming with Veronica Zuccala
This conversation details high-level sports performance programming, neuroscience principles in the weight room, and navigating modern industry trends. We discuss the true definition of sport specificity, explaining how the weight room is meant to optimize how muscles pull on bones rather than mimicking sport skills under load. Veronica leverages her neuroscience background to break down the rise
E21: Beyond Hip Thrusts: The True S-Tier Glute Movements with Cory Hageman
This conversation details high-level glute mechanics and navigating common industry misconceptions. We discuss how anabolics frequently mask flawed lifting form in bodybuilding and why many trainers rely on high junk volume when coaching quality is low. Cory breaks down her personal shift away from heavy hip thrusts toward unilateral movements like B-stance RDLs and split squats to improve pelvic
E20: Coaching Round Table with Brandon Schultze and Jorge de Hoyos
The conversation covers various topics including struggles with remote recording, life in Edmonton and Mexico City, weather and temperature comparisons, high school athletes and NIL deals, and athlete behavior and responsibility. The conversation delves into the impact of wearable devices, nutrition and training misconceptions, training approaches and misconceptions, the difference between trainin
E19: How Real Culture Produces Elite Results with Kyle Mckee
This week, we sit down with Kyle McKee of Kodiak Barbell to map out the reality of transitioning from the brutal grind of in-person corporate gym hours to building a fully remote online coaching business. Kyle pulls back the curtain on his formative years training at the legendary Boss Barbell Club, detailing the savage intensity of monolift training, the "no skinny champions" philosophy, and what
E18: Situationally Appropriate Nutrition: Meeting Clients Where They Actually Are with Phil Smith
This conversation covers a wide range of coaching and physiology topics, beginning with a look at blending old-school lifting mentalities with new-school adaptations through a modified barbell circuit system designed to fill programming gaps. We explore the business side of coach-to-coach advisory sessions, emphasizing the "math teacher equivalency" of showing your work and why coaches must adopt
E17: Stop Fragile Coaching: 10 Clinical Statements That Are Total BS with Dr. Jeremy Dinkin
The conversation covers topics related to chiropractic practice, patient care, marketing strategy, and the impact of mindset on recovery. It delves into the challenges of traditional insurance-based care, the importance of personalized treatment, and the role of social media in marketing. The conversation also explores the non-linear nature of recovery and the significance of a positive mindset in
E16: Why Range of Motion Is Overrated: What the Experts Get Wrong with Jonathan Warren
The conversation covers a wide range of practical training and coaching topics, including appraising gym equipment, the application of ECM training, and the direct relationship between rehab and performance training. The discussion also highlights the overrated nature of range of motion in training. We delve deep into individual movement assessments, specifically focusing on the wide vs. narrow IS
E15: The Specialization Illusion: Moving Trainees to the Next Level with Jeremiah Bair
The conversation covers the importance of training basics, the role of metabolic flexibility in fat loss and muscle gain, the transition from fat loss to muscle gain, and the adjustment of caloric intake and training volume based on individual performance and goals. The conversation delves into the evolution of training principles and methods, the impact of pivotal moments in coaching careers, the
E14: The Realities of Modern Coaching with Dom Kuza
Online fitness has largely turned into a high-ticket sales job, prioritizing business scalability and revenue over refining the actual craft of coaching. In this episode, Dominic Kuza M.S. (co-founder of Blueprint) joins us to deliver a much-needed reality check on modern coaching, highlighting why professional authority must be built entirely on coaching skill rather than social media virality or
E13: Data Rich, Decision Poor: Navigating High Level S&C with Danny Foley
We have more sports science data than ever, yet injury rates continue to climb . Danny Foley (Rude Rock Strength) joins the show to discuss why most high-performance settings are currently "data rich but decision poor". We cut through the noise of expensive tech to talk about the reality of coaching in elite organizations, the ego-check required to grow, and why self-reflection in adversity is par
E12: Programming vs. Reality: Why You Can’t Out-Program Shitty Form and Laziness with Stu Locke
Stu Locke joins the show to call out the technical incompetence and sheer laziness currently plaguing the powerlifting community . We discuss the viability of intra-session gummy eating contrasted with the need for a strong aerobic base and high work capacity to thrive in any sport . We revisit the industrial-strength bulking protocols of college football—saturating the system with thousands of ca
E11: Functional Training Is a Scam with Angus Bradley
Angus Bradley joins the show to tear down the trend of performative functional training and the S&C "vibes" that often replace actual results. We pull back the curtain on professional sports to reveal why the industry's elite level is often built more on networking and social skills than technical competence. Angus explains why young coaches should embrace the commercial gym environment to bui
E10: Clinical LARPing vs. The Scared Coach: Navigating the Gray Area of Pain with Jordan Jiunta
Jordan Jiunta joins the show to discuss the "Wild West" of online training and the professional skillset required to navigate complex clinical landscapes. We break down the "fragility narrative" and the common trend of practitioners using fear-mongering and structural buzzwords like "out of alignment" to mask incompetence or secure client retention.The conversation focuses on the actual value of a
E9: The Specificity Trap: Building Niche Authority and Client Trust with Daniel (Skateboardstrength)
Daniel from Skateboardstrength joins us to discuss the transition from general fitness coaching to niche authority and the unique challenge of training a population that is historically "anti-gym".The conversation explores pain education for athletes hard-wired for self-destruction and why general strength is often the most "specific" tool for a skateboarder. Daniel breaks down why high-volume in-
E8: The Spot Reduction Reality & Mastering Your Movement Mechanics with Kyle Baxter
Kyle Baxter joins the show to discuss the intersection of biomechanics, pain science, and the controversial reality of targeted fat loss.We move past the "it’s a myth" narrative to explore the actual research and utility of Spot Reduction for lean individuals. We also break down why mastering movement mechanics and exercise execution always trump programming, and how to navigate the process of "un
E7: The Elite Disconnect: What Coaches Miss About Pro Performance with Killian Hamilton
Most coaches want to work with pro athletes, but few understand the psychological and physiological gap between "internet fitness" and the reality of the NFL Combine and Pro Days.In this episode, Killian Hamilton joins the show to strip away the fluff. We discuss why so many coaches are pursuing unnecessary practices and how media culture has created a massive disconnect between what actually driv
E6: Hybrid Training with Danai Sisouphanh
The conversation covers a range of topics related to long-distance running, including the physiology of marathon running, transitioning into running and hybrid training, running for beginners, and long run progression. It also delves into the importance of aerobic-based strength training and the need for gradual progression in training to avoid injury and overexertion. The conversation covers a ra
E5: Performance Essentials with Coach James Macintosh
In this episode, Mac and Nick Ridpath explore a wide range of topics including nootropics, performance supplementation, training principles, and the impact of lifestyle factors on health and fitness. They share personal experiences, scientific insights, and practical applications for athletes and coaches. In this in-depth conversation, Nick Ridpath and Mac explore advanced training techniques, com
E4: Coaching As A Career with Dr. Jordan Shallow
Jordan Shallow shares insights on the realities of high-level coaching, the importance of trust, the value of broad experience, and the mindset needed for success in the fitness industry. Discover practical advice on risk, relationships with money, and the craft of coaching from one of the best in the business.https://www.instagram.com/the_muscle_doc/https://www.pre-script.com/Ask me about Pre-Scr
E3: The NFL Offseason with Joey Slye
Nick Ridpath sits down with NFL kicker Joey Slye to unpack what it actually takes to perform at the highest level — from navigating the NFL offseason and training camps to managing injury, recovery, and the often-overlooked role of strength and conditioning. Joey shares his personal journey through the league, the current landscape of traditional S&C, and his firsthand experience working with
E2: The Truth About Evidence Based Coaching with Eric Bugera
In this conversation, Eric Bugera joins us to explore the evolution of fitness content in the age of social media and the importance of evidence-based practices. Their personal experiences provide insights into navigating the complexities of fitness and the coaching business, emphasizing the importance of practical experience, authenticity in social media, and the evolving nature of fitness resear
E1: Training Around Back Pain - Challenging The Norms of Chiropractic Care with Dr. Brandon Tran
In this conversation, Nick Ridpath and Dr. Brandon Tran explore the intersection of chiropractic care, rehabilitation, and strength training. They discuss the importance of challenging traditional rehab approaches, understanding pain, and the significance of patient education. Brandon shares his unique journey through healthcare, emphasizing the need for a holistic approach to treatment that combi
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