Mindful Strength

We do so many podcasts on pain because pain is a part of human life, which means it's bound to come up in training at some point or another (or all the time). Most of what we have been taught about pain is that pain = damage, pain is not normal, pain shouldn't be happening. Avoiding anything painful can really hold people back, limit movement and keep us stuck in sedentary patterns which arguably makes everything worse. In this episode Kathryn and PT Joe Lavacca talk about helping people keep moving and training, while managing pain. They talk about pain medication, where cardio fits into the picture, and of course strength training in the gym as rehab. To learn more about Joe and his Strength in Motion rehab practice click here. ___________________ Want to get into some progressive strength training this summer? Our Mindful Strength Membership includes a monthly program that will teach you the basics of progressing to heavier weights. Follow along with our recorded class, fill out your PDF program and feel the benefits. Click here to learn more about our Membership.

Today we welcome Jules Mitchell back to the podcast for a 5th or 6th time, we have lost count! Jules and Kathryn have been colleagues and friends for a number of years, and today they are talking about stability and proprioception training.  The big question they keep coming back to is why do some exercises get labelled in research as stabilizing, or for proprioception, while others don't? What is a deadbug giving you for stability that a deadlift isn't? This podcast gets into the weeds of language, philosophy, and will have you questioning the common narrative on stabilization.  We hope you enjoy listening! To learn more about Jules Mitchell, her mentorship, classes and YTT click here. ____ Our annual Membership sale is on now!! If you want to start strength training with Kathryn and the Mindful Strength team, get signed up for an entire year of strength programs. Click here to learn more about our Membership and All-Access Sale!

We welcome back Dr. Stephanie Carter Kelley for a third time! In this episode Kathryn asks all about pain, and why it can be so complex and about more than just mechanics. Stephanie sheds light on how the brain creates pain as a protection response and how the immune system get's involved as well. They talk about stepping back to look at the whole ecosystem of the body, not just the joints or muscles affected. Kathryn asks about menopause and why pain can become so intense at this time in life. Stephanie shares about her own personal journey through menopause and how stress management is often sidelined. Click the links below to listen to Stephanie's previous interviews on our website... Ep 243 on back pain specifically Ep 214 on osteoporosis, lifting and impact training To learn more about Dr. Stephanie Carter Kelley and her work click here *** To learn more about Mindful Strength and our online platform where you can follow programs and build your strength click here!    

Today we are talking about our 10km race last weekend. Kathryn and Kyle talk a little bit about the lead up, balancing training and recovery, and a break down of the run itself. They talk about pacing, why they kept their start pace even when everyone was blowing past them, pre-race carb loading, the taper week and how to challenge what's possible in a really sustainable way. We hope you enjoy listening! To sign up for our upcoming Squat Stronger 6-week program click here.

Welcome to our third solo episode of 2025. Today Kathryn is talking about rest intervals, and why we need them between heavy compound exercises.  She also talks about super sets and which exercises you can link together with less rest. We hope these episodes help you understand strength training in more detail and help you become more successful with your training. Episode addition: in this episode Kathryn talks about CNS activation being a main reason why we need rest intervals, but there's more. The energy systems that fuel lifting also need time to recover, and recovery is aided by the cardiovascular system. More on this in an upcoming episode! If you have not yet listened to the previous two episodes, definitely catch up on them soon. *** To start strength training with us from wherever you are, join the Mindful Strength Membership click here to learn more. Each month we release a new strength program for you to follow, to build up with consistency. In addition to a monthly program you can browse our other classes i.e. mobility, plyometrics, cardio, stretching and choose a few to round out your training week. Members also get access to our mobile app. Click here to learn more about the Mindful Strength Membership.

Welcome to our second solo episode of 2025! If you have not already listened to episode 255 we suggest you start there. In todays segment Kathryn is talking about the value of writing down your lifts and keeping track of your numbers over the long term.  When you write down your lifts you collect valuable data about yourself, your patterns, and you gain a lot of context. If training isn't going well or feeling great, you have a log to look back through which will help you make strategic changes.  Tracking your lifts over time also shows gaps in the training, shows where you might need more consistency, more or less volume etc... Listen to this episode to learn more about writing down your lifts and why it's so useful. To join our next strength program in January, Pull-Up Club click here! If you are newer to strength training and want to browse our many classes and equipment tutorials, click here to check out the Mindful Strength Membership Thanks for listening!! If you are loving this podcast and listening on Apple, scroll down and leave us a review. We appreciate you being here.

Welcome to Kathryn's first solo episode of 2025! In this segment Kathryn talks about the big mistake a lot of people make when it comes to strength training, which is rotating the exercises too frequently. Building strength means repeating the same exercises over long periods of time. There is a lot patience involved with strength training. Kathryn talks about certain exercises she plans to train forever, and how to make those decisions based on your goals. She also talks about how most people underestimate how much they are capable of lifting, what to do when you can lift your goal weight, and why you won't be able to add more weight to your lifts forever. To learn about Kathryn's upcoming Pull-Up Program click here. To learn about the Mindful Strength Membership and how you can take a range of our different strength, mobility, and relaxation classes click here. Thanks for listening everyone, if you are loving this podcast and listening on Apple, please scroll down and leave a review!!

In this episode Kathryn and Laurel talk about how they both got into running and what they have learned about cardiovascular exercise. We want to emphasize that you do not need to begin running, there are many ways to build up your cardio including the bike, rower, elliptical machine. In this episode you will learn why strength training and cardio are the perfect match and why it's essential to have both in your weekly routine. They talk about how adding cardio has changed their lifting routine, their relationship to carbohydrates, and the practical elements of doing varied training consistently. Both Kathryn and Laurel do running and lifting, but they each excel in different areas which makes this conversation even more interesting.  To learn more about Laurel click here. To follow Laurel on Instagram click here *** To learn more about the Mindful Strength classes and programs click here. To follow Mindful Strength on Instagram click here  

Today we welcome dietician and body image coach Deb Benfield for a conversation about finding strength and joy in midlife. Deb talks about the main times in many women's lives that their bodies change quickly, puberty, pregnancy, and menopause. She speaks about how these are moments when we are at higher risk for developing disordered eating behaviours as a means to control our naturally changing bodies. Kathryn and Deb also touch on internalized agism, the longevity movement, the importance of strength and nutrition for muscle and bone strength, and our culture's strong emphasis on macro and calorie tracking. Deb mentions the following resources in this podcast... Briefly Imperfectly Human By: Alua Arthur Ashton Applewhite Ted Talk: Let's End Ageism To learn more about Deb Benfield click here to follow her on Instagram and click here for her website *** To check out our library of classes and strength programs click here! To follow Kathryn on Instagram, click here

Today we welcome Chantal Lalonde for a conversation about exercise in general. So many people fall into the trap of hyper specialized exercise, correcting movement patterns or setting lofty unattainable goals. In this episode we unpack the physical activity guidelines and how to focus on more consistency and less on doing things perfectly all the time.  Learn about the balance of cardiovascular exercise and strength training that are recommended for all adults. Chantal and Kathryn also talk about fitness trackers, mindset around training, and what it's like to be very average, but highly passionate athletes. Chantal is a passionate and innovative public health professional with over 15 years of experience in health promotion, physical activity and chronic disease and injury prevention. She holds a B.Sc. Human Kinetics, B.Ed., and a Master of Health Studies.  She currently work as a program manager at a local public health agency overseeing the chronic disease prevention and wellbeing, injury prevention, and health equity programs. To learn more about our upcoming Strength & Conditioning 2.0 Program Click Here! *** To follow Chantal on Instagram click here To follow Kathryn and Mindful Strength on Instagram click here

In this episode we welcome exercise physiologist Raphael Bender for a conversation about a few popular topics where we often see mixed messages and sometimes even misinformation. If you are a person who loves to learn about how muscles fire, how strength is built, and what current research is saying about certain topics, this is for you! Kathryn and Raphael talk about how muscles fire and whether or not we need activations in our warm-ups. They also discus the idea of feeling a muscle working and how many people who can't feel muscles working get told they are doing things wrong. They talk about the difference between building muscle and building strength, and why building the strength to lift heavy things is a coordinative skill. They finish the conversation with the topic of pelvic instability, if a pelvis can really be unstable, how this research is conducted and the problems with manual assessment of an area like the S.I. joint. To listen to Raphael's podcast click here. To follow Raphael on Instagram click here. *** To learn more about Mindful Strength and our upcoming classes and programs click here! For inquiries email support@mindfulstrength.ca 

Today we welcome award winning journalist and life long athlete Christine Yu to talk about the menstrual cycle tracking craze that we have seen in recent years. Christine will walk you through the different phases of the menstrual cycle, some of the physiological changes that happen week to week and why these fluctuations can effect our exercise. She also dives into some myths about cycle tracking and why it's not as simple as giving general guidelines like, high intensity around ovulation and stretching during luteal. At the heart of this episode is the importance of cycle tracking as a way to get to your own own body, your unique rhythms, symptoms, strengths and challenges so you can better support yourself through your ever changing menstrual cycle. To learn more about Christine Yu and her book Up to Speed: The Groundbreaking Science of Women Athletes click here. *** To learn more about Mindful Strength and our online programs click here. Make sure to join our email list to get all our updates! To follow Mindful Strength on YouTube click here.

Today we welcome dietician, coach and strength athlete, Em Palmerton for a conversation about nutrition and why carbs are so important for strength. We hear so much about protein intake, but what about carbs? Em talks about fitness trends, how carbs have been demonized in many circles, and why healthy exercise is about more than just being lean. Kathryn and Em talk about why carbs are specifically important for strength training, how to navigate blood sugar information, and why macro tracking can be useful in certain advanced situations, but isn't always helpful.  To learn more about Em click here *** To learn more about Kathryn's work and Mindful Strength classes and programs click here! To watch our FREE barbell classes click here.

This week we welcome physiotherapist, educator and researcher, Greg Lehman. Kathryn and Greg tackle a few topics that require a lot of nuance, like, is technique important for preventing injury and spinal flexion across different demographics including people with osteoporosis. Greg shares insights on what we know from the research, and topics where we don't have enough evidence (yet) to make black and white claims. They talk about the importance of strength training, loading gradually over time and actual risk factors in class settings.  Greg also answers a couple of listener questions about pain science, anticipating pain, and whether or not pain decreases as damage heals.  Kathryn and Chris will do a recap of this episode in the coming weeks to talk about what they learned from this conversation. To learn more about Greg Lehman, his courses and work click here. *** To learn more about Mindful Strength and building strength online with Kathryn, click here! *** Previous episodes with Greg... Click here to listen to Ep 158 Explaining Pain Research, Biomechanics & Strength Click here to listen to one of our first episodes with Greg (2019!) Pain Science and Biomechanics 

In this episode Kathryn and Gina talk about perimenopause and why strength training and high intensity interval training (HIIT) are really helpful in this phase of life. Gina also shares quite a bit about pre-exercise fuelling and why starting exercise with extra energy is incredibly powerful. Perimenopause is a confusing time, there's no test to say you are in perimenopause, and it can start earlier than we think. In this podcast you will learn more about why consuming both protein and carbs pre-training is useful, how muscle and metabolism are linked, what true HIIT is, and the importance of progressing gradually to higher intensity. Gina is a strength & conditioning coach who started lifting at 16 and hasn’t stopped. Experiencing how different training in her teens, 20s, 30s, and now mid-40s encouraged Gina to return to school for exercise science, focusing on women’s metabolism. Her mission is to help reshape what is possible as women age, empowering them as they navigate perimenopause. To learn more about Gina, her training and e-book click here. To follow Gina on IG click here. ***** To learn more about Mindful Strength and how you can work with Kathryn, click here.  

Our interview with Dr. Stacy Sims was a banger! We got numerous emails and messages from our audience expressing how powerful the conversation was. Kathryn and Chris sat down to recap a handful of the main points that really stood out and give more practical context for those of you wanting to integrate this knowledge further. If you have not yet listened to Ep. 245 go do that now, then come back for this one! To learn more about our upcoming Strength & Conditioning Program beginning April 17th click here. *** For all other Mindful Strength offerings including our membership platform and 1-1 coaching click here.

Today we welcome one of our favourite researchers, teachers and speakers, Dr. Stacy Sims! In this episode Kathryn and Dr. Sims talk about what makes female physiology so unique and why strength and conditioning are essential for longevity. They tackle popular topics like intermittent fasting, 10,000 steps a day, exercising on an empty stomach and the keto diet. Dr. Sims speaks about the importance of heavy loading and multi-directional impact for muscle and bone health, and why yoga and low impact are not enough. They iron out how much protein women in this stage of life need, how to absorb more water without peeing so often, and much more. It was a huge honour to interview Dr. Sims, Kathryn and the whole team are huge fans of her work. *** STACY T. SIMS, MSC, PHD, is a forward-thinking international exercise physiologist and nutrition scientist who aims to revolutionize exercise nutrition and performance for women. Dr. Sims has published over 70 peer-reviewed papers, several books and is a regularly featured speaker at professional and academic conferences, including those by USOC and USA Cycling.  Stacy currently holds a Senior Research Associate position with SPRINZ- AUT University, supervises PhD students, writes academic papers, and is on the advisory board of some cutting edge companies including Tonal Strength Institute, WILD.AI, and EXOS.  She also has her own business (www.drstacysims.com) where she creates and delivers online learning material focused on women training with their physiology across the lifespan.  Click here to follow Dr. Sims on Instagram ***  To learn more about how you can work directly, with us we have an upcoming program beginning April 17th on Strength & Conditioning click here to learn more.

In this episode Dr. Caitlin Casella and Kathryn talk about what osteoarthritis is, and how you can use progressive exercise to help manage pain, inflammation, and feel more robust in daily life. Most of what we have been taught about osteoarthritis relates to "wear and tear" but as you will learn in this interview, there's so much more to the story.  Main points you will learn about... Pain science as it relates to structural changes in joints Knee joints specifically Beginning exercise even when pain is present How gentle aerobic exercise can be a great place to begin, before heading into strength training More on systemic inflammation and it's role in osteoarthritis The low impact craze and why it's essential to gradually progress impact training You can follow Caitlin on Instagram here. Learn more about her work by clicking here. Caitlin Casella is a physical therapist in New York City. After a 14 year career teaching yoga and mentoring yoga teachers, Caitlin transitioned into other systems of holistic movement, somatics, strength and conditioning. Through this evolution, she experienced firsthand how beneficial strength training and cardio conditioning can be—not only on a physical level—but mentally, for emotional stability, pain management, and a confidence boost that extends beyond physical endeavors.  *** To learn more about Mindful Strength, our weekly online classes, online strength programs and 1-1 coaching click here! *** If you enjoyed this podcast consider leaving us a review on Apple, or sharing the podcast with friends online. We appreciate your support!

In this episode Kathryn and Trina talk about shifting from lighter weights and bands to coaching clients using heavy weights and barbells. Both came from yoga/pilates and have been incorporating strength training into their classes and programs for years. They talk about why building strength and progressing to heavier weights is highly beneficial, even if it seems a bit scary at first. Trina also shares about how her training and nutrition have changed through her 50's and into peri menopause.  Trina Altman is a movement educator who helps teachers tap into their own brilliance and understand how to break the rules, so they can create new and inventive exercises and classes to meet their students’ needs. Trina is the author of Yoga Deconstructed, a trainer, and the creator of online courses that can be found on her website. To learn more about Trina, her book, courses and work click here. *** To learn more about Mindful Strength and how to work with Kathryn click here.

Dr. Stephanie Carter Kelley is back on the podcast this time for a conversation about lower back pain, pain science, the multi-factorial nature of pain and how culture deeply effects our pain experiences. Stephanie takes a truly holistic approach to treating pain, as a movement teacher and clinician. This episode will have you reflecting on pain in more nuanced ways and understanding how fear and avoidance influence pain. To listen to Stephanie's first episode on osteoporosis, Ep. 214 click here. To learn more about Stephanie's work and courses, click here. To follow her on Instagram click here. *** To learn more about Mindful Strength and how you can work with Kathryn, click here!