Autonomy 🤸🍔✊ GMB Fitness

Ask a questionSleep Is a PracticeWe've talked about sleep before — our PM routines, keeping it dark and cool and quiet, putting down the phone, all the adulting 101 tips that every Instagram account and bestselling book has been yelling at you for years. You know all of it.So we polled 119 members of our coaching community about their sleep. A third of them are struggling, and the comments made one thing very clear: nobody has a knowledge problem. They have a life problem. Toddlers, menopause, business anxiety, shift-working spouses, bodies that wake up at 3am to replay every unfinished task from the last decade.This episode is about what to do when you already know the basics and your life won't cooperate.Resources:5 Quality Sleep Strategies to Feel Well-Rested and More Productive - Our article on the fundamentals of better sleepEvening Stretching Routine - Ryan's pre-bed routine to help you relax and sleep betterYour PM Routine - Our earlier episode on building an evening routine that sets you up for the next dayHow to Practice Recovery - Our episode on autoregulation and learning to read your body's recovery needsRespiration - Our breathing program for managing stress, calming your nervous system, and improving recoveryRecovery - Structured active recovery sessions with light movement, self-massage, and full-body awareness workAlpha Posse - Our coaching community where this sleep conversation startedPick one thing from this episode. One. Practice it for two weeks. If it's breathing before bed, do it every night. If it's moving your phone out of the bedroom, do it every night. If it's the evening stretch routine, commit. See what actually changes for you, then decide if it stays.Support the show👉 Try a free strength and agility workout

Ask a questionMost people think training is about constant progress.Getting stronger. More flexible. Better conditioned. Always moving forward.And when that’s not happening, it feels like something’s gone wrong.But that idea falls apart pretty quickly when you look at how anything actually develops over time.Athletes don’t train at peak intensity all year. They periodize their with pre-season, in-season, and off-season. Your work has busy periods and slower stretches. Even your energy across a week shifts depending on sleep, stress, and everything else going on in your life.Training works the same way.There are seasons to it. Not just one.In this episode, we break down four of them:Building — when you’re putting focused effort into improving a specific skill or qualityMaintenance Mode — doing just enough to keep what you’ve built while your attention goes elsewhereDamage Control — adjusting when something’s off, whether that’s an injury, fatigue, or just life hitting hardExploring / Performing — using what you’ve built in less structured, more variable, real-world waysThe mistake most people make is treating “building” as the only phase that counts.But trying to build everything, all the time, usually leads to stalled progress, frustration, or getting hurt.A better approach is understanding which season each part of your training is in, and adjusting accordingly.You might be building mobility, maintaining strength, managing a cranky shoulder, and exploring new movement patterns all in the same week.That’s how sustainable progress actually works.We’ll walk through how each of these phases works, why they’re all necessary, and how to train in each one so that even maintenance or damage control still move you forward.Because the goal isn’t to always be pushing harder.It’s to keep making progress over time without burning yourself out in the process.Support the show👉 Try a free strength and agility workout

Ask a questionMost people know when to back off their training, but only once something already hurts. That’s the problem.In this episode, we break down why pain and fatigue are lagging indicators, and how to start using earlier signals to guide your training instead. You’ll learn how to recognize when you’re actually ready to push harder, not just when you need to stop, and how to adjust your sessions based on what’s really going on in your body and your life.If you’ve ever felt stuck between going too hard and doing nothing at all, this gives you a better way to make the call.Support the show👉 Try a free strength and agility workout

Ask a questionMany people think progress only happens on the days when they push themselves to the limit. Everything else feels like falling behind.In reality, most productive training happens in the middle. The grey zone between maximum effort and total rest is where you can practice skills, build muscle, develop endurance, and accumulate consistent work without constantly needing long recovery periods.Autoregulation helps you learn how to operate in that middle range. Instead of reacting to fatigue or chasing max effort every session, you develop the ability to adjust intensity and keep moving forward.The result is fewer setbacks, more training days, and better long-term progress.Support the show👉 Try a free strength and agility workout

Ask a questionThis episode is a rambling and unfocused mess. OK, so it's a little better than that, but the truth is that "how do I integrate more training into my life" is a really broad question, and any focused, succinct answer would be incomplete.What you'll actually get is Ryan and Andy working through the tension between movement snacks and real training sessions, why 15 focused minutes beats 90 minutes of scattered effort, and the five words that have repeatedly saved Andy from his own to-do list. And Ryan's three-word rebuttal. If you've ever caught yourself researching infrared saunas for three hours instead of doing some damn pushups, this one's for you. And yes, we talk about toilet squats.Support the show👉 Try a free strength and agility workout

Ask a questionAndy and Ryan discuss the use of timed sets vs rep counting in the Praxis Protocol, emphasizing the importance of quality movement over quantity. The conversation covers the significance of adjusting intensity, the idea of mechanical drop sets, and the distinction between time under tension and time under attention. They also address how to measure progress without relying on numerical goals, encouraging listeners to focus on their improvement in movement quality.TakeawaysGMB emphasizes quality of movement over quantity in training.The five P's framework helps organize practice effectively.Timed sets allow for a focus on quality rather than counting reps.Adjusting intensity and scaling movements is crucial for progress.Mechanical drop sets can be applied to bodyweight exercises.Time under tension is important, but time under attention is key for practice.Measuring progress can be based on how well you perform movements, not just numbers.Quality movement leads to better performance in sports and daily activities.The goal of training should be to improve functional movement skills.Practicing with a focus on quality can prevent injuries and enhance performance.Chapters00:00 Introduction to the Podcast and GMB's Unique Approach02:22 Understanding the Five P's Framework05:21 Quality Over Quantity in Movement Practice08:34 The Importance of Timed Sets in Training11:27 Challenges with Traditional Rep Counting14:12 Transitioning to Quality-Focused Training17:23 Conclusion and Future Directions18:56 Scaling Movements and Adjustments21:59 Understanding Mechanical Drop Sets23:53 Bodyweight Variations and Drop Sets27:22 Quality Over Quantity in Training29:26 Time Under Tension vs. Time Under Attention35:31 Focusing on Progress Beyond NumbersSupport the show👉 Try a free strength and agility workout

Ask a questionIf you’ve been training for years but still feel like you're not sure how to keep progress going, have random aches hanging around, and every new “must-do” tip online is somehow making it worse. Then this episode is for you!Jarlo sits down with Dr. Jason Silvernail (DPT, DSc, U.S. Army Colonel, strength coach) to talk about the problem most people don’t realize they have: it’s not a lack of information… it’s a lack of a way to sort it. They unpack why modern fitness advice swings between two extremes, either a vague “wellness philosophy” or an aggressive “one weird trick” fear based, and what to use instead: a practical framework for making smart training decisions that actually match your real-life goals.You’ll hear how Jason shifted his own training in his 40s (without giving up being strong), why “masters athlete” training is not resigning yourself to being less. It's a mindset upgrade, and how the best results come from combining the right inputs (movement, recovery, stress, sleep, context) rather than chasing the next magic bullet.Come for the training insights and leave with a clearer filter for everything you hear about health, fitness, and longevity.*Opinions expressed by Dr. Jason Silvernail are his own and do not represent the official policy or position of the United States Army, the Department of Defense, or the United States Government*Learn more from Dr. Silvernail here http://Linktr.ee/jasonsilvernailSupport the show👉 Try a free strength and agility workout

Ask a questionOsteoarthritis is often blamed on “wear and tear,” but the truth is far more empowering. In this episode, orthopedic surgeon Dr. Howard Luks joins us to break down what’s really happening inside your joints — and why movement, not rest, is the key to healing and longevity.We talk about:•Why osteoarthritis isn’t caused by using your joints too much•The link between metabolic health, inflammation, and joint pain•When surgery or treatments actually make sense•How strength, mobility, and motor control protect your joints for lifeDr. Luks’ insights bridge the gap between medical science and practical movement training. Whether you’re dealing with arthritis yourself or helping others move better, this conversation will change the way you think about pain, aging, and physical autonomy.🔗 Learn more about Dr. Luks:•Website: https://www.howardluksmd.com•Substack: https://howardluksmd.substack.com•Book — Longevity Simplified: Living a Longer, Healthier Life Shouldn’t Be Complicated: https://www.amazon.com/Longevity-Simplified-Healthier-Shouldnt-Complicated-ebook/dp/B0B195C17TSupport the show👉 Try a free strength and agility workout

Ask a questionThe most requested topic from a recent round of surveys, how to train around minor injuries is a real and pertinent issue for all of us at some point or another. Whether you wake up one morning with a crick in your neck or you twist your ankle while running, learning to train with limitations is a skill that can be learned. In this episode, we dive into what constitutes a minor injury, why it's important to keep moving, and how to assess your situation and stay productive so you don't feel like you're wasting away while you heal.Key Points:How to Define ‘Minor’ – the criteria to distinguish what’s “minor”Why It’s Important to Keep Moving – what the body needs to heal correctlyKnow Thyself – the ability to assess your needs and tendencies is invaluableHow to Continue Training – the smart way to adjust your focus to continue training in a productive wayReading Your Internal Barometer – learning to track and trust your subjective experience for longevity and autonomyThe Future: Help us decide which episodes to record nextResources:Body Maintenance Guide – Our head to toe solutions for aches and painsYour Guide To Moving Better With Less Pain – Our article and episode about active recoveryEasy Self-Assessments to End the Guesswork – Our article on using a scale for ease and quality to make measurable progressDealing With Injuries – Our episode on the not-so-secret key to recovery that everyone tries to ignoreOvercoming Chronic Pain with Exercise – Our article on the science of pain and how to break the pain cycleHow To Make Progress, Even With Limitations – Our article on strategies for working with pain and injuryIt’s All in Your Head – our episode on owning your subjective experience of exerciseBronnie Lennox Thompson on Fibromyalgia and Living Well With Chronic Pain – a great episode on Todd Hargrove’s The Better Movement PodcastBronnie Lennox Thompson’s website – resource for on chronic pain self managementSupport the show👉 Try a free strength and agility workout

Ask a question"It's time to make the Donuts."In a few recent polls, we found that about half of you say you move on from a training program when it gets boring. Given that repetition is basically requisite to any physical training, we thought we’d tackle this topic and vouch for the grind of donut making.Boredom is part of the process. Whether you learn to get interested in the details or just accept the repetition and cruise through it, sexy results come from unsexy efforts. As do delicious donuts.Key Points:Who Gets Bored? – most of us do at many points, but learning how to continue is essential to real progressHow to Define Boredom – assess first why you think you’re boredGoals & Expectations – figure out if you are making values-based intrinsic goals vs. failing at arbitrary external goals or expectationsStaying Engaged is a Learned Skill – we can develop the capacity to notice nuance and grow our capacity for boredomProgress Is Non-Linear – we often can’t see our progress while we are in it or without an external markerKnow Yourself, Plan for What You Need – set up what you need so you have support for when you do plateauProgress Is Not the Next Step – why progress isn’t the next progression, movement, or fancy add-onThe Future: Help us decide which episodes to record nextResources:How We Keep the Basics Interesting – Our episode on the two things that’ll help you give the basics the love they deserveFighting Boredom in Your Workouts – Our other episode on working through the grindHow to Build a Training Routine – Our article on how to make an exercise plan you actually look forward toA Not-Boring Article on Walking – Our article on how “boring walking” can lend itself to integrating movement, awareness, and breathingThe GMB Method – A breakdown of why skills-based fitness is more efficient and interestingWant to Stick to Your Training? – Our article on how to tap into your long-term internal motivatorsAvoid Exercise Burnout – Our article on how to autoregulate your training so you can stay on courseSupport the show👉 Try a free strength and agility workout

Ask a questionOn any given day, we get dozens if not hundreds of questions on our YouTube videos, social posts, and via email. And we enjoy answering them because we never want you to get stuck or give up. Most of our answers have carry-over to whatever situation you find yourself in, so we thought we'd share the love.In this episode, Ryan and Andy answer a handful of commonly asked questions. Some of these are about advanced skills and others are about how or where to begin. So whether you've been sitting on the sofa for the last decade or are working on your Bruce Lee kip up, we've got you covered. Questions & AnswersQuestion #1: Muscle-up Transition — how to build up the strength, range of motion and control so you don’t get stuckQuestion #2: Seal Walk; Wrist Mobility & Strength — how to slow down, assess your pain or weak points, and make adjustmentsQuestion #3: Out of Shape, Where to Start — how to start if you’ve been sedentary for some time but not overdo itQuestion #4: Kip Up — how the hell Ryan does this in jeans and movement tips so that you also can skip the Lycra one dayQuestion #5: Walk to Squat — how and when to get creative, use props, and use progressions that allow you keep to working on whatever is difficult for you nowResourcesDealing With Injuries – Our episode on the not-so-secret key to recovery that everyone tries to ignoreOvercoming Chronic Pain with Exercise – Our article on the science of pain and how to break the pain cycleHow To Make Progress, Even With Limitations – Our article on strategies for working with pain and injuryHow to Get Started with Training – Our article on how to make an exercise plan for beginners (or anyone wanting to get active again)DOMS – they suck!– Our episode on Delayed Onset Muscle SorenessThe GMB Method – A breakdown of the AAA Framework to help you assess what you need to work onYour Guide To Moving Better With Less Pain – Our article and episode about active recovery8 Exercises to Fix Hand & Wrist Pain – Our article on wrist health and wrist routine video Support the show👉 Try a free strength and agility workout

Ask a questionNike says that "if you have a body, you're an athlete." That's BS, and it can lead to poor decisions and wasted energy that don't benefit you. Of course, you may be an athlete. We've worked with clients competing at all levels in just about any sport or activity you can name. But the vast majority of people we work with are definitely not athletes. What does that mean? Are we saying they're not good enough? Serious enough?No. Simply that their lives don't revolve around their training. This episode talks about the choice to become and athlete - and the choice not to. The latter gives you freedom to make different choices and to enjoy your practice in the best way for you. Key Points: Why We’re Not Athletes: Calling yourself an athlete can be destructive and limitingHow to Differentiate: The difference between hobbies, sports and workouts; Andy gets spicy about CrossFit and CupcakesFreedom & Fun: By not being an athlete, you get make the best decisions for you and enjoy your activitiesResources:Physical Autonomy – Our favorite topic, figure out what to do to meet your own needsThe Fundamentals for Success – learn the foundational attributes necessary to be successful at any sportHow to Develop the Athleticism You Need – be prepared and train for any level of activity or sportWhat We Teach – what, why and how we teach, and how these principles can help inform any training you doHow to Make the Most of Your Time – make choices not compromises in training and everything else in your lifeTap Into Your Long-Term Motivation – make sure your training is driven by motivations that are meaningful to youSupport the show👉 Try a free strength and agility workout

Ask a questionPlay is a topic that is often left out of the conversation in fitness.This is in spite of the fact that experimentation, exploration and going off script is at the core of many physical training disciplines—dance, martial arts, acrobatics, any sport you play. However, play is not just free form improvisation or what children do on the playground; it requires a foundation in what you are practicing.In this episode, we get into a subject that is near and dear to our hearts and some of our other parts: how to play with yourself. Key Points:What Play Is: It’s not just what kids do, what Play is in the context of training and skill acquisition How to Play Effectively: Play with what you already know; examples of how to explore what you are practicingSafety & the Unknown: Learn specific ways to maintain safety while doing something newOther Tips: Keeping an open mind and noticing opportunities can help you create more options The Future: Help us decide which episodes to record nextResources:The GMB Method – A breakdown of the 5 P’s including PlayBalancing Goal Oriented Training with Movement Exploration – Our article with strategies to work exploration and play into your routineWhy All Adults Should Play – Our article on why Play should be part of an exercise routinePlaying with Movement – Our video on adding movement exploration to your practiceTranscript of this EpisodeTurning Unconventional Play into Lifetime of Fitness – Our episode with Mark Smith of Asylum Fitness about Play as fitnessPlay Your Way to Any Skill – Our episode with Josh Vogel about mastery through PlayLearning to Incorporate Play – Our episode on why anyone can play and howSupport the show👉 Try a free strength and agility workout

Ask a questionChances are if you like what we do at GMB, you don’t want to spend hours each day working out. Like us, you want to focus on just the essentials in order to help you better enjoy the things you love to to do like practicing your martial arts and being active with your families. In this episode, we were happy to be able to chat with Philip Chubb, otherwise known as the Mindful Mover, in which we discuss how to minimize the time you spend training while maximizing the range of gains you make.This is not just the cliché of "less is more," but practical things everyone can apply to their training to get a life beyond the gym. Key Points: Do Fewer Exercises: We are mortal and have limited time, do exercises that have carry over to other onesDo Less Reps Less Often: Learn how to use Accommodating Resistance to maximize every movementStop Over-training: Training injuries aren’t worth it, find the minimum effective doseCardio: Sprint drop sets are miserable but you only have to do them once a weekGet a Life: Training is fun but it shouldn’t be everythingResources:The Mindful Mover – Philip and Martina’s website@the_mindful_mover – Philip on InstagramMindful Mover – Philip on YouTubeBody by Science – a book by John Little and Doug McGuff on complete fitness in 12 minutes a weekBreathing Exercises – Learn how to make your workouts better and help you recover faster3 Steps to Autoregulation Training – How to not burn outHow Many Reps, Sets, Exercises, and Workouts You Should Be Doing – Our episode on how much is enoughOur Articles on Injury Prevention – Our best posts on recovery, prevention, and building resilience Support the show👉 Try a free strength and agility workout

Ask a questionMartial art has its history in combat, so as a company founded by three martial artists, Rule #1 (Don't Die) is fundamental to GMB. If you die, you don't get to do anything else. It's over. That's the end. It might sound dramatic but self-preservation is key to making any kind of progress. While this seems like a fairly basic and obvious fact, it is one that often falls to the wayside when we start taking on new challenges.In this episode, we talk about how everything comes with a trade-off and how to assess your training in order to not make irreversible decisions.Key Points:Don’t Die: It’s a metaphor, don’t do anything that has lasting or permanent negative implicationsWhat to do Instead: Reassess what you’re doing, how you’re doing it and whyChallenge Doesn’t = Pain: Don’t conflate pain with progress, there are many ways to make gainsOur Advice: Examples of avoidable mistakes + two tips to use for any movementIrreversible Decisions: Challenges are good, but don’t go past the point of no returnThe Future: Help us decide which episodes to record nextResources:3 Steps to Autoregulation Training – How to not burn outThe GMB Method – A breakdown of how to Assess, Address, Apply to make progress on anything you’re working onDOMS – They Suck! – Our episode on Delayed Onset Muscle SorenessBreathing Exercises – Learn how to make your workouts better and help you recover fasterTranscript of this EpisodeHow Many Reps, Sets, Exercises, and Workouts You Should Be Doing – Our episode on how much is enoughOur Articles on Injury Prevention – Our best posts on recovery, prevention, and building resilienceSupport the show👉 Try a free strength and agility workout

Ask a questionAs a company founded by three dudes, GMB might seem like a very male centric company. But about half our team is women. The three dudes are married. Two of us have daughters, so raising strong girls and women is something we actually care about deeply.So we got in touch with one of the coolest, most successful and badass women we know: Juliet Starrett. She’s the CEO of TheReadyState.com, an attorney, and a champion athlete. She’s also a mother of two teen girls and has managed not to tear out all her hair, so she’s got a lot to say about parenting girls in today’s world.Key Points:Body Image: You don’t have to be a size 2 to wear spandex, tactics to instill body positivityRole Models: There are many measures of success, role models can show what is possibleSex, Porn, Difficult Conversations: This conversation is going to happen when you least expect it, have it earlyLetting Go: Your children’s job as they grow is to learn how to separate from you, letting go of them and your own expectationsResources:The Ready State, formerly MobilityWODSan Francisco CrosSFit, Juliet and Kelly’s GymJuliet on InstagramDeskbound: Standing Up to a Sitting World by Juliet and KellyStandup Kids, their non-profitGirls & Sex by Peggy OrensteinBoys & Sex by Peggy OrensteinS.E.X.: The All-You-Need-To-Know Sexuality Guide by Heather CorinnaRaising Strong Girls, Part 1 Support the show👉 Try a free strength and agility workout

Ask a questionAs a company founded by three dudes, GMB might seem like a very male centric company. But about half our team is women. The three dudes are married. Two of us have daughters, so raising strong girls and women is something we actually care about deeply.So we got in touch with one of the coolest, most successful and badass women we know: Juliet Starrett. She’s the CEO of TheReadyState.com, an attorney, and a champion athlete. She’s also a mother of two teen girls and has managed not to tear our all her hair, so she’s got a lot to say about parenting girls in today’s world.Key Points:Relationships & Community: Participating in the community, modeling good relationshipsSocial Media: There’s a thousand ways to do social media as a parent, it’s possible none of us are getting it quite rightTechnology, Self-Regulation, Sleep : Phones are like heroin, how to make a constrained environmentResources:The Ready State, formerly MobilityWODSan Francisco CrosSFit, Juliet and Kelly’s GymJuliet on InstagramDeskbound: Standing Up to a Sitting World by Juliet and KellyStandup Kids, their non-profitGirls & Sex by Peggy OrensteinBoys & Sex by Peggy OrensteinS.E.X.: The All-You-Need-To-Know Sexuality Guide by Heather CorinnaSupport the show👉 Try a free strength and agility workout

Ask a questionWe get it - you were born before the turn of the millennium, so much of your knowledge of health and fitness comes from the Jane Fonda Workout VHS and watching interviews with Arnie in junior high PE class. But you’re a grown-ass adult, and you’re still capable of learning new things.It’s time to learn how to prepare your body for a productive training session.“But I heard warming up is a waste of time!” I’m sure your buddy with the bad back who told you this helpful tidbit had your best interests in mind, and we completely agree that warming up like a recreational jogger in 1983 isn’t going to help you much. But if you spend most of your day in a low exertion environment and try to immediately transition into a high-exertion training session, you’re going to have problems.This episode is about the right way to prepare yourself for training - how to get your mind in the right place, how to prepare your body to maximize the benefits of training, and how you can organize your environment for productive training.Is it OK to skip prep and just start training? Sure, and you can also eat a frozen sausage without taking the wrapper off. But you’d be acting like an idiot, so cut it out and learn how to do things right.Support the show👉 Try a free strength and agility workout