We are joined for the second time by Oli Mell, International Kettlebell Sport athlete from Team England & owner of Wolfpack Fitness. We kick off the conversation by discussing Oli’s recent performances at the World Championships in Denmark then move on to discuss training in general as we age. The toll that high level performance has on the body & mind, the importance of focus when training & competing & we even talk about weight management & diet strategies in a ‘weight class’ sport & life in general. A fascinating chat with a driven, disciplined & dedicated man.
We meet Nick Rainbird, a highly experienced Personal Trainer, endurance coach & nature lover. We learn all about ‘Forest Bathing’, the healing power of nature & the benefits we can all experience by detaching from our high tech dependant lifestyles & reconnecting with the natural world - & our own natural history. Gardening, walking, exploring, adventuring, engaging all of our senses & just remembering how GOOD it feels to spend time out in nature are all discussed. This is a feel good episode & Nick invites us all to find ways in our own lives where we can take time to benefit our mental & physical health by tapping into the natural magic all around us.
In this episode Peter & James debrief & discuss the ‘Survive to Thrive’ weekend workshop with Dan John & Tim Anderson that was recently hosted at Unique Results. A combination of practical & theory including much of Dan’s latest thinking around ‘Easy Strength’, assessment & his movement matrix blended with Tim’s ‘Original Strength’ resets created a unique learning experience. What did we learn, what have we taken away to apply, what was clarified for us & what were our overall impressions of the weekend? A concise review of two packed days of learning.
We are joined once again by David Keohan AKA Indiana Stones (last with us WAY back on episode 59!) to discuss all things stone lifting, Irish cultural history & literally unearthing strength secrets from the past. This is a fascinating conversation with a unique man who passionately & poetically describes his quest to rediscover a forgotten stone lifting culture on the island of Ireland & the stories, characters & folklore he encounters on his journey.
This week Peter & James sit down to ‘unpack’ a very full-on weekend in Belfast with Paul Mcllroy on his Strength Training masterclass. Over the two days they covered ‘Mastering the Kettlebell Press’ & ‘Pillars of Power’ - lower body strength, hypertrophy & programming. The hosts discuss the biggest lessons & takeaways from the weekend regarding technique specifics, programming theory & also big picture attitudes to life & training.
In this episode Peter & James kick off the conversation with a quote recently shared by a dietician online: “Complication is the enemy of implementation.” This leads to a discussion around diet, training, healthy lifestyle practises & habit forming. When over complication occurs so does confusion, often leading to inaction. How can we ‘keep things simple’ & start on the path to a healthier life despite the conflicting opinions & advice available?
We are joined by a truly unique character, discussing a truly unique topic (which I don’t think we’ve even mentioned in 190 episodes) - Kettlebell Juggling! Elisha AKA ‘Electric Farmer’ (for reasons that are explained when you listen) is a music producer & teacher, a sound designer for theatre & art installations AND just happens to be a Kettlebell Juggling Silver & Bronze Medallist. Whether you like Kettlebells or not, whether you’ve ever thought about juggling them or not - you will find this conversation interesting, inspiring & you’ll get to meet a man following his passions & leading the way in a very new sport in Britain.
We are joined for the third time by world renowned strength & movement coach, author & the creator of Original Strength - Tim Anderson. We discuss Tim’s new book ‘A Simple Book of Strength’ & how Tim believes we are all born to be strong & have near infinite strength within us almost from birth - it’s just how we learn to tap into that strength, cultivate & control it. We discuss what strength actually is - what it is not & how knowing you are strong ‘feels good’ & can actually change the way you show up in the world every day. An interesting & inspiring talk with someone who not only walks the walk but also crawls the crawl.
We are joined for the second time by documentary filmmaker Oliver Loom & he’s joined by Emma Rushen, one of the stars & a producer of his latest project. “False 9: The Reality of Women’s Football” takes you on an emotional rollercoaster, exploring the triumphs & tribulations of a spirited team striving for promotion in the unforgiving world of the tier 7 county leagues. The core of the film is the inspiring camaraderie among teammates, the indomitable spirit that fuels their pursuit, & the unspoken bond that makes Chelmsford Women’s Football Team a family. You can watch the film for free on YouTube Here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTbCGTS5Guk
Following 6 back to back episodes with guests, Pete & James take the opportunity to catch up, reflect & discuss topics that have either been featured on recent episodes or through conversations with clients. Today they start out talking about the practicalities of deciding upon & setting non-negotiable daily actions to help us stay on track & the conversation develops into the nature of identity, character & living a life aligned to our values.
We are joined by Paul Mcllroy for his 5th visit to the podcast for this special two part bumper edition! We discuss Paul’s upcoming weekend workshops in both Northern Ireland & USA. This second episode focusses more on two BIG exercises - squats & deadlifts BUT as is usual with Paul the conversation takes us on many detours & tangents encompassing many areas of strength, training & life.
We are joined by Paul Mcllroy for his 4th (& 5th) visit to the podcast for this special two part bumper edition! We discuss Paul’s upcoming weekend workshops in both Northern Ireland & USA. This first episode focusses more on the kettlebell press BUT as is usual with Paul the conversation takes us on many detours & tangents encompassing many areas of strength, training & life.
We are joined from Wales by Ultra Endurance Adventurer Sean Conway & hear about his feats of almost ‘Super Human’ endurance, resilience & perseverance. Sean, by his own admission is a very ‘normal’ guy. Not physically gifted or a childhood athlete but with an extraordinary determination to succeed once he has focussed on a goal - & the bigger & more daunting the better. Prepare to be amazed & also to have your perception of what is humanly possible challenged.
We are joined from Buckinghamshire by Hannah Camden from Fitworks Training & discuss the importance of authenticity, forging your own path & the healing power of movement. Hannah discusses some dark times in her life where she was not expressing & using her true strengths & the dramatic turn of events that led to a big business & lifestyle change. We learn about her fairly recently found loves of Kettlebell Sport & Mace swinging & how after 20+ years in the fitness industry Hannah has now well & truly found her business, fitness & life groove. An open, frank & important conversation with an inspiring woman who is now using her unique ‘vibe’ to attract her ‘tribe’.
We are joining from Glasgow, Scotland by Rob Clarkson, owner of Reactive Training. We discuss Rob’s early career in the military (starting at 16) & his progression from full time sports lecturer to fully fledged business owner & creating a community led by its members. Transformations, skiing, kettlebells, multi-day endurance walks, habit building & Hryrox are all up for conversation along with what REALLY separates bespoke fitness clubs (like Reactive) from the mainstream; support & accountability. An informal & informative chat with a man doing great things to inspire his community & make a difference.
We are joined by 3 x Worlds Strongest Disabled Man, British Army Veteran, Wheelchair Rugby player & unique style icon Mac McLaren! Mac talks about his life, his life altering injury, his competitive sporting achievements & customised designs for prosthetic legs! Mac has competed all round the world & now sets his sights on Wheelchair Rugby (or Murderball as it affectionately referred to) prepare yourself for a very special conversation with one of the biggest characters we’ve had the pleasure of featuring on the podcast.
Peter & James discuss the concept of ‘The Centenarian Decathlon’ as written about by Dr Peter Attia in his phenomenal book ‘Outlive’. It’s a list of 10 things people could look to build (or more likely maintain) in their marginal decades, namely 70s, 80s, 90s & potentially beyond. This list should be individualised to account for circumstances, specific lifestyle demands & areas of interest. These are everyday lifestyle tasks that when compounded will lead to independence, resilience, strength & autonomy as we age.
We are joined by Ellie Crawley; Founder of Feel Fit shop & studio in Bristol, Feel Fit sustainable activewear clothing brand & Feel You retreats. Ellie is an online lifestyle & prep coach & an in-person trainer & leader of the Feel Fit community & wellness movement. We find out about Ellie’s career path, her business success, her philosophy around everything she does within the Feel Fit brand & we talk about Ellie’s own personal fitness goals for 2024. An uplifting & inspiring conversation with a force of nature within the UK health & fitness scene.
We are joined all the way from Vermillion, Ohio USA by Mark Valenti; former pro heavy events athlete, Strongfirst Certified Elite Instructor, owner of ‘Blind Dog Strong’ gym, reader of books & swinger of Kettlebells! We discuss competing for 18 years in Highland Games, learning directly from Louie Simmons at Westside Barbell, transitioning to Strongman, becoming Strongfirst Elite & lifting the Husafell Stone in Iceland! This is a fascinating conversation with a rugged, strong & intelligent man who has a lifetime of strength achievements behind him & many challenges still ahead.
We are joined by Pav Johal for an important episode. Pav is a British Asian female who is setting an example through her own athletic endeavours & through coaching other women in what is a massively underrepresented demographic with the fitness & strength world. Pav talks candidly about her own childhood in sport & training & her strong academic background. How culturally she doesn’t see many ‘like her’ at the events & competitions she attends & how slowly but surely she is working to change that. This is a fascinating episode with a strong woman who has taken a direction in her own life which will impact her own children & hopefully the wider community.