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

Ask a questionWhy buy a program when there are 50 billion free workouts on YouTube? Precisely because there are 50 billion free workouts to parse through.In this episode, we talk about the good, bad, and ugly of the free content on YouTube.We cover:what YouTube is useful for and its limitationsthe appeal of fitness videoshow we learn by mirroring what we see how that differs from training and true autonomysome of our favorite YouTube channelsLearn how to use YouTube to help you make the best decisions for you and your own practice.Support the show👉 Try a free strength and agility workout

Ask a question"Just squat!" "Just do intermittent fasting!" As sentient beings in the 21st century, we all have pretty solid bullshit detectors by now, but when we're facing challenges, it's still tempting to believe the easy answers. And why not? Mostly, they're offered in earnest from friends with the best of intentions. But sometimes, there's an insidious bias behind the rec.In either case, "just X" is usually masking a litany of gotchas and caveats that you should understand before jumping in. This episode is about investigating claims without wasting time researching beyond your necessity as a layperson. If you're gonna trust someone as far as you can throw them, you better learn to throw! We'll look at veracity, context, and incentives as heuristics for casual analysis of "maybe too good to be true" claims. In other words, it's a tune-up for your bullshit detector so you can skip the crap and start using the solutions that suit you best.Support the show👉 Try a free strength and agility workout

Ask a questionIt's easy to get overwhelmed by all the possibilities out there. Decisions are hard, and we can't make them for you. We can, however, show you how we make a lot of our decisions.In this episode, we revisit the framework "Hell Yes or No," give examples of how to apply it in both your life and training, and explain how it can free you up from indecision, inaction, or overwhelm.Learn how to practice saying "No" so that you are spending time doing what you really want to.Support the show👉 Try a free strength and agility workout

Ask a question"Boredom, I think, protects the individual, makes tolerable for him the impossible experience of waiting for something without knowing what it could be."Here's the deal: you will get bored.We all love that new-car smell and sense of novelty when we start something new. The first couple of weeks on a new program or routine usually feels like you're really making progress, but then the honeymoon ends, and you find yourself knee-deep in The Grind. The Grind is the inevitably boring middle part of a training plan when things stop feeling exciting and fun, and you might even wonder whether you're making any progress at all. And that's why most people quit or program hop sometime in the third or fourth week of a program. Unfortunately, the grind is super-important. It's where you cement your learnings and really start making headway. Without the grind, you don't build to the eventual results you want. The Grind can suck, but we'll show you how you can learn to love it. Support the show👉 Try a free strength and agility workout

Ask a question"Progressive overload" is a principle in training that says you need to continually add greater stimulus to an exercise to keep seeing a training effect. And it makes sense. To get stronger, you need to continue pushing your body. But the history of popular fitness has instilled a bias here that overload can only be achieved via a handful of training variables, primarily load and repetitions. So once we get to a certain point, we naturally start looking at adding weight to our training. It works great for exercises like pull-ups and dips, but in others, it's a recipe for injury... or at least for poor results.When it comes to bodyweight exercise - and especially skill-based training - complexity and sophistication of movement are often neglected as pathways for progression. This episode hopes to change that. We'll explore why adding weight works and when it's the wrong choice. We'll also cover examples of sophistication instead.We know that making the right choices is tough! There's a lot of nuance involved, and this episode will provide the context you need to figure out what'll work best for your goals. Resources:Loaded Carries for Practical, Everyday Strength Support the show👉 Try a free strength and agility workout

Ask a questionIf you've tried something new even once in your life, you might be familiar with falling flat on your face, possibly literally.In this episode, Ryan chats with David 'Jacko' Jackson and Tim Stevenson, founders of School of Calisthenics. They talk in-depth about how they developed their philosophy of "redefining your impossible" by exploring your physical potential through body weight training. Jacko and Tim share their stories and thoughts on:why play might be more the most important thing you can dohow breakthroughs in your training apply to your lifehow to start working on hand-balancing on your ownwhy humour and community are keyIf you want insight on how to reframe something that feels out of reach, this is an episode you definitely want to stick in your ear hole.Resources:School of Calisthenics Website / YouTube / InstagramStrength, Play and Conditioning ProgrammesLearn the Whole Handstand Process Video Support the show👉 Try a free strength and agility workout

Ask a questionWe get a lot of questions about Recovery which is not surprising, given how much information there is out there. There's no easy way to cut through all the noise since Recovery is and should be subjective, but in this episode, we break down:why Recovery is not separate from your traininghow only you can decide what you needthe importance of tracking your baselinecommon recovery methods and toolsexamples of when to do whatRecovery, like any aspect of your training, cannot be cookie cutter and takes practice. Learn how you can apply recovery methods based on your own needs.Resources:Program: Regulator -- Recovery, Resistance, ResilienceArticle: How to Speed Up Recovery Time Podcast: How to Maximize Recovery Support the show👉 Try a free strength and agility workout

Ask a questionWe've all been there -- schedules and routines change, and we can't fit in our regular workout. Rather than trying to stick to your routine amidst a big project, the holidays, or a busy time, tailor your workouts to better serve you.In this episode, we talk about:changing your mindset when your needs changespecific adjustments you can make to your traininghow to plan in advance so your workouts help you focusexamples of how to structure short, effective sessions Learn how to use life changes to your advantage; adjust your training to help you focus on what you need to get done. Resources:Elements / Integral Strength / MobilityCreating Your Minimal Viable Routine20-Minute Locomotion Circuit for Conditioning (Follow Along Workout) Support the show👉 Try a free strength and agility workout

Ask a questionHave you ever Googled a topic and been overwhelmed by the sheer amount of products that are supposed to solve your problem? Or underwhelmed by the lack of real answers?In this episode, Andy chats with Andy Morgan of Rippedbody.com about why helpful information doesn't sell, and how to figure out what to do based on your own needs. We cover a variety of simple yet effective guideposts and strategies for working on your physique, including :why context matterswhen to use supplementshow to get results without counting caloriesday-to-day tweaks and easy wins for almost everyonesolutions for social settingsWhether you are looking to lose weight, get ripped, or create healthier habits, the answers are often simpler than you think.Resources:Rippedbody.comRippedbody PodcastAndy Morgan's Email System on GrowthLab Support the show👉 Try a free strength and agility workout

Ask a questionYou want to be able and ready, not just good at working out.Readiness means going beyond just capability so you can actually access and apply your skills and abilities when needed. Chances are, you don't wear sweats and trainers all day, so you really have to stop a moment and think about how your clothes limit you.That why we say that if you can't perform a skill you've practiced while wearing the things you usually wear, you can't really perform that skill completely on-demand. Andy wrote a loooong article (not really) about jeans. This episode extends the premise with tips for making the most of your actual capabilities under everyday conditions. We'll tell you how to assess your wardrobe, how to learn to move as well as possible in what you already wear, and how to consider physical autonomy both seasonally and as you add to your wardrobe. No, we can't believe it either - the first GMB Show about shopping...The Scout Motto is be prepared. As lifelong martial artists, we look at situational awareness and defensive capability as basic skills. Don't get tripped up (literally) when life throws you for a curve. Support the show👉 Try a free strength and agility workout

Ask a questionDOMS. Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness.You don't like them, and they don't like you, but if you're training your body at all, you're going to have to learn to live with each other.There's tons of myths about muscle soreness. Some people think they're the surest sign of a good workout (they're wrong). Others seem to think they indicate overtraining (also way wrong). While getting sore is a stupid thing to shoot for in your workout, they're also nothing to worry about.We'll teach you how to know if you're too sore, what to do about it, and how to stay productive in your training without getting derailed by sore muscles. Support the show👉 Try a free strength and agility workout

Ask a questionBalance is one of those things most people don't realize they can improve - or even that they might need to improve . . . until they start trying to learn different ways to move. The fact is most people don't have a problem with balance so long as they stick to normal activities. But when you're outside your comfort zone, things change. Luckily, balance is very trainable. This episode covers our a simple framework for improving your balance step-by-step, with our favorite drills and techniques. Support the show👉 Try a free strength and agility workout

Ask a questionWhen we think about fitnessing, a relative few activities come to mind. Weightlifting, running, cycling, swimming, jumping rope, etc. Why? Mostly because they're very efficient at producing very predictable results. But they also leave some things out, especially:non-linear, off-center, and multi-planar movementscontinuing skill developmentNow, we're not saying you should quit using efficient methods just because they're reductive, but you do need to address those important areas. There's a trap here too though - majoring in the minors. This rambling, unfocused, and nearly incoherent (just kidding about the last one) discussion between Ryan and Andy goes over why you need skill development and unconventional movements, even if you're not training for a specific sport or activity. We also cover self-assessing so you can focus on the supplemental training that fits your needs rather than just trying to cram in every "prehab" exercise you saw on YouTube.Understand what your routine is missing and discover how to choose the right things to fill those gaps. Support the show👉 Try a free strength and agility workout

Ask a questionAnyone experiencing anxiety lately . . . ? Congratulations, you're human. The good news is you're definitely not alone. Studies show that anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the US affecting 1 in 5 people every year and that 1 in 3 will experience an anxiety disorder at some point in their lives. Things like pandemics can lead to higher feelings of stress and anxiety, which can impact sleep, diet, and overall well-being.In this episode, Ryan and GMB Trainer Jenn Pilotti discuss how feelings of stress and anxiety influence you physically and how exercise and movement practices can influence feelings of stress and anxiety. Learn how anxiety is influenced by interoception (internal sense of self), and why learning new movements is good for your brain.Resources:Jenn's New Book --> Body Mind MovementJenn's BlogHow Fitness Training Can Affect Mental Health Support the show👉 Try a free strength and agility workout

Ask a questionWhen people start with GMB, we almost always recommend starting with Elements. It's our broadest and most foundational program, and it's structured to provide a scalable challenge to just about any level. But what happens after that?This is one of the top five questions we get from active clients, and the answer depends on a few things. Many people repeat Elements. Some use it for recovery or warm-ups. Some people move on completely to other training. This episode goes over the best strategies for moving to the next phase in your training and which factors determine the right move for you.Resources:ElementsFitness Roadmap: How to Choose the Best Training Program Support the show👉 Try a free strength and agility workout

Ask a questionThe diet world teaches us that beating ourselves up about food and our body is what "motivates" us. We've been taught that feeling badly enough will help us hit our goals.Of course, beating ourselves up didn't work the last time. And it didn't work the time before that. It's never worked. Yet, we still keep getting sold the same lie.In this episode, you're going to find out what the four levels of motivation are. Beating yourself up actually is on the list — it's the lowest level. If you want to change your eating skills practice--or any skills practice-- you're going to have to level up your motivation.Learn how to upgrade your motivation, increase your eating skills practice, and hit your goals. Support the show👉 Try a free strength and agility workout

Ask a questionThere's not a more cliché phrase in all of fitness, but here goes: if you want to improve, you have to push yourself. Pushing yourself is hard, and it can be counterproductive too. In fact, we've devoted a lot of carbon dioxide in past episodes to talking about some of the ways pushing yourself - too hard, too often, or just in the wrong way - can cause problems. So consider this episode the balance to every time we've said "maybe you should do less."Here's some of what we're gonna cover:3 kinds of days: how to know how hard you can goHow to plan training intensity around your life15 (we counted!) ways to increase the intensity of a training sessionThe best part is that almost none of those tactics require much prep, and you won't have to psych yourself up or go snort a bunch of protein powder first either. You can start our session and, if you're feeling good to go, push yourself a little harder, to whatever degree necessary. Pushing yourself tends to be more of a mental struggle than anything. Once you get moving, it's easy to keep moving. The tactics we explain in this episode are great because they don't require much of a mental shift, so you can get a harder session without the typical feeling of mental resistance you'd feel if you just tried to "go hard."Resources Mentioned:GMB Method Support the show👉 Try a free strength and agility workout

Ask a question'Mindfulness' is one of those words that can sound really out there, but improving mind-body awareness can have a profound impact on how you experience the world and your sense of security in your body. Jenn Pilotti is a GMB Trainer who's been coaching for well over a decade and just has a ton of education and experience under her belt. She's just released a new book, Body Mind Movement: An evidence-based approach to mindful movement, which is aimed at giving professional trainers the tools to develop mindfulness in their clients.In this episode, Jenn and Ryan cover:the importance of spatial awareness in daily lifehow movement practice extends to other areas of your lifewhy interoception is crucial to autoregulationhow to work with pain, fear and failurepractical examples for better, mindful movement and increased focusThough the book is aimed at coaches, you don't have to be a trainer to use these concepts in your own practice and workouts. If you want to move better and feel better while you move, you'll want to stick this in your earhole.Resources Mentioned:Jenn's New Book --> Body Mind Movement: An evidence-based approach to mindful movementJenn's Blog Support the show👉 Try a free strength and agility workout

Ask a questionHave you ever felt limited by joint pain? The truth is, very few of us haven't experienced injury, stiffness, or pain in our joints. And unfortunately, many of us are given diagnoses like 'tendonitis' without any hope for recovery. In this episode, we chat with Steven Low, author of Overcoming Gravity, Overcoming Poor Posture, and now Overcoming Tendonitis, about how to overcome tendonitis and tendinopathy based on the latest research and his own clinical experience.We answer questions you all brought up, including:how a pain 'habit' can be the biggest inhibitor to recoveryhow to address a longstanding elbow tendonitishow to adjust or modulate your activity levelshow to know when you can start working out and doing stuff againthe efficacy of diet and supplementsWhatever damage you were told you have, Steven shares how you can recover from tendonitis with patience and a well directed program. Resources Mentioned:Steven Low's Site Steven's Article on Overcoming TendonitisThe Book: Overcoming TendonitisOur Review of Steven's Book Overcoming GravityOvercoming Poor Posture, co-written with Jarlo Support the show👉 Try a free strength and agility workout

Ask a questionWith so many people now trying to exercise at home, we're hearing more and more often how challenging it can be if you're used to having more space and a specialized environment. But there's a lot to be gained from learning to use the space you have. Not much roomBad flooring?Family or roommates? None of these are deal breakers. This episode is focused on preparing the right timing, spacing, and mindset for a productive training session. While we'd _love_ for each of our clients to have a dedicated room with nice flooring and an altar to GMB in the corner, the fact is we don't even sell signed 8x10s of Ryan, so you're gonna have to make do with what you have. When you do, you'll find that a small space stimulates your awareness and creativity, which makes up for whatever feeling of constraint you may have to deal with in the process.ResourcesStrategies for Training At HomeCan't Go to the Gym?Podcast: Lockdown Edition Support the show👉 Try a free strength and agility workout

Ask a questionYou've likely heard a lot of different ideas about stretching: how it doesn't work, how it makes you weak, or how you'll hurt yourself if you do it 'cold.' In this episode, Jarlo and Rose discuss and dispel myths and seemingly conflicting information about stretching, including tips for who should stretch, when to stretch, and how to stretch.We also cover:flexibility vs. mobilitybenefits of stretching, and how to maintain flexibilityactive, passive, static, and dynamic stretchingIf you've ever been unsure of how to increase your flexibility, you'll want to be put this one in your ear hole.Resources Mentioned:Study - Stretching Decreasing StrengthStudy - Stretching and Dynamic WorkGuide for FlexibilityGMB Mobility ProgramGMB Elements ProgramHip Mobility RoutineShoulder Mobility RoutineWrist Routine Support the show👉 Try a free strength and agility workout

Ask a questionWhich is better for pull-ups - rings or bar?As in most things, there's only one right answer, and it's completely obvious. Just kidding... we're actually gonna give everybody's least favorite answer on this one: it depends. But why? What does it depend on? If you're just learning pull-ups (going from zero to your very first pull-up), what's the best way to learn?And if you can already do some pull-ups and want to figure out the best way to continue using them to get even stronger, how do you know the best methods to do so?We'll talk about pros and cons of both rings and bar for pull-ups and different variations and assistance techniques we prefer for training at various stages. We also cover details a lot of people tend to gloss over, like wrist health, building comfort on your chosen apparatus, and how to gage progress when just counting reps doesn't feel like it's moving very fast. We've talked before about ways to build back strength _without_ pull-ups, and this episode is all about making pull-ups actually work for you with whatever equipment you happen to have. Enjoy.Resources:How To Learn Pull-Ups VideoPull-Up Tutorial Support the show👉 Try a free strength and agility workout

Ask a questionSure, being tall has its benefits, but when it comes to skill work certain movements can seem always out of reach, even when you tower over everyone else. Ryan and Jeff talk about why some skills are harder when you are tall and how you can train toward them anyway. They cover common obstacles and injuries you may run into and how you can use the GMB Method and smart programming to avoid them. Some things are more challenging when you are tall, but that doesn’t mean you need to give up on your goals, you may just need to change how you approach them. Support the show👉 Try a free strength and agility workout

Ask a questionWhen you think of leg strength, squats and deadlifts (rightly) come to mind. And if you think of bodyweight leg exercises at all, it's probably as a (poor) substitute. But very athletic movements happen with both feet firmly planted on the ground. Enter single-leg training. It's not just "something to do if you don't have a squat rack." This episode is about using single-leg exercises - some classic, and some lesser known - to strengthen your legs through their full ranges of motion. We'll cover common mistakes people make in their training and technical fixes. You use your legs for a wide variety of movements every day. Don't trick yourself into thinking a couple of staples will fully prepare you to move at your best. Resources Mentioned: Pistol Squat TutorialPistol Squat Tutorial VideoPistol Squat Troubeshooting VideoBodyweight Squat Tutorial 9 Advanced Bodyweight Leg ExercisesUsing Front & Back Scales Support the show👉 Try a free strength and agility workout

Ask a questionIn Part 1, we gave an overview of how the spine works and talked about the low back. Back bone’s connected to some other bones, so this time, we’ll talk about the thoracic spine and how to keep your back healthy and pain-free. In this second episode on the Spine, we cover:why chronic pain happens more frequently in the thoracic and neckhow posture and ergonomics actually affect painhow to figure out your "directional preference" to be more comfortable and get more done in your dayEpisode Transcript and Other Notes Support the show👉 Try a free strength and agility workout

Ask a questionUntil fairly recently, pelvic health was a topic that didn’t get a lot of love. That’s partly because it’s complex, and partly (sadly) because some of the issues are embarrassing for people to talk about. If you’ve been concerned about your pelvic health (and you should be), this episode is for you. Jarlo talks with GMB Trainers and movement specialists JJ Thomas and Jenn Pilotti about one of the most important yet mysterious areas of the body.Points covered: Understanding that the pelvis is the bridge/connection between upper and lower body Removing the mystery and stigma of the pelvis ("black box") How locomotion work and similar movements are "body awareness" exercises and can immediately affect how your body feelsEpisode Transcript and Other Notes Support the show👉 Try a free strength and agility workout

Ask a questionThis is gonna be the most annoying discussion of core exercises ever. A few things we're not gonna tell you:how many crunches you should be able to dohow long to hold the hollow body or what the next progression ishow many abs Ryan hasWhat we will teach you in this episode is a thousand times more useful. If you wanna learn why almost zero training systems feature tons of direct core work, listen up. We'll cover everything you need to know to really master core strength for practical movement and health. Episode Transcript and Other Notes Support the show👉 Try a free strength and agility workout

Ask a questionThe spine is needed in every movement we do, which is why we get more questions about back pain and back issues than almost anything else.In this two part series, Jarlo and Rose look at the spine and answer some of the most-asked questions.In this episode, we cover:basic anatomy and actions of the spinewhy so many people have back pain and spine issuesprotective mechanisms, how our brains can "overeact"nocebos, how anxiety and fear perpetuates the pain cyclehow new sensory inputs can dampen pain and help us keep movingTranscript and Other Episode Notes Support the show👉 Try a free strength and agility workout

Ask a questionThe biggest issue most folks have with nutrition isn’t finding the right diet, it’s stress eating. We all know that stress impacts our ability to make good choices, and we know that stress is a fact of life. Since we can't avoid it, you need a system to eat the right foods, _despite_ inevitable stress.In this podcast, Ryan and Josh present just the thing: two simple guidelines and two skills you can develop to manage snacking when tired or stressed out.Next, they dig in on how to overcome the obstacles that people encounter when they start working on eliminating stress eating. You’ll learn how to identify, plan for, and change your actions in the face of common obstacles.Things you'll learn:How your balancing your meal impacts snackingA simple guideline for knowing when you should check in with yourself, before having a snackThe three questions to ask yourself to figure out if you're really hungryOne metaphor from cutting edge psychology that could make all of the difference when it comes to managing stress without foodTranscript and Episode Notes Support the show👉 Try a free strength and agility workout

Ask a questionWalking is the least sexy exercise of all time, and it’s also one of our favorites. Which probably says a lot about us...Now before you give a giant yaaaaaawn and click away, let’s get to some of the topics we’re gonna cover that might just be a bit different form what you expect:Ok, honestly, the first few minutes probably start exactly like you’re expecting...but then things start to get more interestingA few ways to sneak some walking into your routine, even if you live in the ‘burbs and there’s literally nothing within walking distanceUsing walks to improve posture and body alignmentThe best way to start incorporating breath training into your walksWhy we don’t have a blanket recommendation for shoesHow much loaded carries suck, and why they’re a big part of Ryan’s current training (now we’re getting to the good stuff...)The dead-simple way to add some casual loaded walking without going “full ruck”In other words, this isn’t just 45 minutes of two guys saying “um, you should walk some, it’s good.” There’s some real meat in this episode. If you’re already walking regularly, you’ll love all the different ways to make it even better for you. If you’re not, we hope to convert you. Stick in in your earhole and hit the road.Transcript and episode notes Support the show👉 Try a free strength and agility workout