There are a few fundamentals we need to perfect before hoping to maximize our progress in any kind of physical pursuit, and in today's show, we explore what that means. As Ben explains, this project starts with learning what functional movement is and making sure we are doing it correctly. Functional movement, contrary to what we might think, actually refers to nothing more than breathing and walking. Ben drills down on the point that the movements we experience while breathing and walking are t...
Jul 23, 2020•29 min
Some of the greatest obstacles posed by any challenging pursuit are the ones that exist in our own minds. This is a concern at the center of High-Performance Psychologist Dr. Bhrett McCabe's work and today he joins us on the show to share his perspectives on the subject. Dr. McCabe works with both professional and amateur athletes, focusing on mental strength and keys to success, and together with him, we take a deep dive into what it takes to perform optimally and some common challenges that st...
Jul 17, 2020•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 129
Joining us on the show today are Stefi Cohen and Hayden Bowe, the creators of Hybrid Performance Method, a virtual gym that provides accessible, affordable, and effective online workout programs to athletes of all skill and experience levels worldwide. Stefi is also a world champion powerlifter and today we speak to her and Hayden about self-development as it pertains to training, diet, and mental wellbeing. We take a deep dive into the evolution of Hybrid as well, talking about their systems, s...
Jul 13, 2020•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 128
If you listen to your body as you exercise, you can feel your emotions arise to the surface. Many people try to mute out these feelings, or they exercise to distract themselves from feeling. In today's episode, Ben and Ash talk about why it's important to listen to your body and work through your feelings. As Ben mentions at the start of the episode, these moments are opportunities to connect with yourself which is an important part of connecting with other people. Ben talks about how exercise l...
Jul 06, 2020•54 min•Ep. 127
With all the unhealthy, unethical meat being produced and distributed in the US, the time is ripe for people to start doing things differently. Enter Belcampo, a company that is revolutionizing meat for the wellbeing of people, animals, and the planet. Today we have their co-founder and CEO, Anya Fernald, on the show to talk about her life story and the evolution, ideals, and practices of Belcampo. We kick things off by hearing some context behind Anya's philosophy. She details her childhood inf...
Jul 02, 2020•1 hr 22 min•Ep. 126
Welcome back to another live edition of the Muscle Intelligence show! Today we focus on giving you some new perspectives on your exercise routine and this Q&A session looks at more effective ways, taking inspiration from the strategies of great people as a jumping-off point. We are really aiming to give you a new paradigm for exercise, how it is meant to be, rather than a preconceived notion of what it is! The conversation starts with an exploration of fitness as a more meditative pursuit an...
Jun 29, 2020•44 min•Ep. 125
In this episode, returning guest Dr. Benjamin Bikman from Brigham Young University joins Ben to talk about insulin and its role in our overall health, specifically as it pertains to insulin resistance and the various lifestyle and genetic factors that come into play. Insulin resistance is not only strongly correlated to chronic disease, but it can also negatively impact our ability to build muscle, and Dr. Bikman discusses how sleep deprivation and incorrect food types can escalate the problem. ...
Jun 25, 2020•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 124
We are live again on the Muscle Intelligence Podcast and today you'll hear all about Ben's different courses and workout plans, the work of a few brilliant past guests, a few tips for resetting your neurochemistry, and more! Our exchange begins with Ben talking about his new mentorship program, coaching certificate, and email squat challenge. This brings up the topic of how to target the intended muscles and our hosts also share some thoughts about what it takes to actually undergo a mentorship....
Jun 22, 2020•50 min•Ep. 123
So-called health foods that we think are doing something great for us sometimes are leading to the very things we are trying to avoid. Today's guest is Sally Norton and she joins us to talk about chemical compounds called oxalates that are found in plants and the dangers they pose to our health! Sally grew up veggie-centric and spent 16 years as a vegan and vegetarian, and today she tells us about the many health difficulties she experienced before discovering the dangers of oxalates. We take a ...
Jun 18, 2020•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 122
With the general risk of cancer only set to increase during the current generation, we face the hard reality of these dangers lingering in our lives. Dr. Nasha Winters is an expert in the integrative approach to fighting cancer and having successfully warded off multiple bouts with the disease in her own life, is positioned well to speak on the dietary and metabolic ways we can reduce risk and strengthen our resilience to it. Dr. Nasha joins us for this episode of the Muscle Intelligence podcast...
Jun 11, 2020•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 121
Welcome to this live episode of the Muscle Intelligence Podcast, where Ben and Ash talk about standing together at this moment in history and share some amazing diet and fitness wisdom! We kick things off thinking about all that is happening right now with the backfire against racism, talking about the need for empathy, and how we should use this moment as an opportunity to lend each other support. Ben gets into the core tenets of his workout goals next, speaking about his threefold aims in area...
Jun 08, 2020•46 min•Ep. 120
Today's guest is Matt Gallant, the savant-like and incredibly successful entrepreneur and CEO of BiOptimizers who has turned his life into a brain and body biohacking experiment! He is here to talk about all his practices and the supplements he uses to perform at a super high level. We begin by considering a theme that plays out through our whole conversation – the fine line between being hyperfocused and neurotically obsessed and the role gratitude plays in this. From there, we chat with Matt a...
Jun 03, 2020•1 hr 22 min•Ep. 119
There are so many facets that go into making a workout great, which is why Ben has compiled a document to help you understand what's valuable to place your mind and body in the right state. It's easy to think you can just step into the gym unprepared, but this is far from true, so we dive into the document today. We kick off the show by discussing some of the mental work you need to do like meditation, anchoring your superhero, and speaking words of success. We also find out more about being pre...
Jun 01, 2020•49 min•Ep. 118
Our guest today is Dr. Tina Payne Bryson, author of The Whole-Brain Child, No-Drama Discipline and The Power of Showing Up, three books that take a neurobiological approach to parenting. Interpersonal neurobiology is all about how our brains and minds get shaped by and work in the context of relationships. We spend today chatting with Dr. Bryson about how this concept can help us become better people and better parents, where having ourselves developed more emotional maturity, we can respond in ...
May 28, 2020•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 117
For this amazing Q&A, Ben kicks things off talking about his six pillars of health, and how to be committed and serious about goals while still remembering to show up in other aspects of life. From there our hosts discuss the value of surrounding yourself with people you aspire to be more like, which also involves the hard task of cutting certain people out. Next up, Ben and Ash give thanks for the amazing power of vitamin D before answering a few listener questions that bring up topics abou...
May 25, 2020•56 min•Ep. 116
Many of us believe our genes doom us to the disorders that run in our families but today's guest, Dr. Ben Lynch argues that with the right plan in place, you can eliminate symptoms, optimize your physical and mental health—and ultimately rewrite your genetic destiny. Dr. Lynch is the author of Dirty Genes, and in it, he discusses eight genes whose correct functioning our health depends on and how to optimize their functioning. Dr. Lynch starts by talking about how he got interested in the field ...
May 21, 2020•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 115
While we change our habits and mindset to pursue the goals that matter to us most, it's important not to forget to make loving ourselves and others a top priority too. For today's show, Ben and Ashleigh will be talking about this concept using three keywords – friendship, forgiveness, and fat! Before that, though, we hear their thoughts on cardio workouts, breath work, enduring pain, different ideal physiques, and why it's important that efforts to achieve a goal be motivated by personal develop...
May 18, 2020•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 114
Today's very special guest is Erwan Le Corre, the founder of 'MovNat', a synthesis of his passion for real-world physical competency, love of movement in nature, extensive knowledge of Physical Education history, and his personal philosophy of life. Erwan gets into so many topics today that will be of huge benefit to followers of this podcast, talking of course about his philosophy of movement but also his ethos about how to guide thoughts and emotions while becoming the best versions of our sel...
May 15, 2020•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 113
Welcome back to another Q&A, where Ashleigh and Ben talk about how to optimize your mental and physical wellbeing, considering dieting, workout practices, habits, learning to love discomfort, and more! We begin with a reminder about Ben's six pillars, and how his workouts are becoming more intellectually focused, a time he takes to be hyper-aware about mobility, stability, skill, and strength. This leads Ben and Ash to hone in on the mental aspects of fitness, and they talk about how working...
May 11, 2020•55 min•Ep. 112
Gear up for another episode of Q&A in which Ben and Ashleigh respond to a host of questions asked in their Facebook community. Before diving into the questions, they remind listeners about the importance of getting enough sunlight and spending time outdoors and explain why challenging times like these can be mined for invaluable life lessons on which to build a more secure future. Ben explains why stability is the foundational prerequisite for building muscle and strength, why having the cor...
May 04, 2020•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 111
In Ben's opinion, olive oil is without a doubt the most important oil that we have in our diet. With that being said, today's guest is TJ Robinson, the man behind the Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil that gets so much love on the show. After all the hunting TJ does around the world, it was his turn to be hunted by Ben, and the resulting conversation the two have on today's show is worth its weight in gold. TJ had an olive oil epiphany after tasting true fresh-pressed olive oil while on a trip to Sicily d...
Apr 30, 2020•57 min•Ep. 110
Welcome back to another great Q&A where listeners get a chance to have their questions answered by Ben and Ashleigh! We start today off hearing some updates on how our hosts have been coping in isolation, and they speak about the value of keeping positive, working hard and eating right, but also knowing how to relax at the end of it all. From there, things move into the subject of good health and the foundational role it plays in achieving optimal physical performance. Ben shares a few tips ...
Apr 27, 2020•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 109
On today's show, we are so happy to welcome Dr. Dan Stickler! Dr. Stickler is an optimization expert and fountain of knowledge on all things health and beyond; his systems approach to the human body and mind fits in perfectly with our philosophy here at the Muscle Intelligence Podcast and we can honestly say that he is a true inspiration and leader in his space. In our conversation today, we locate his expertise within the current context of the coronavirus pandemic and let Dr. Stickler weigh in...
Apr 23, 2020•56 min•Ep. 108
Welcome back to another episode everybody — recorded live in quarantine! It's another Q&A since we know how much all of you need it right now. In this conversation, you can expect to hear Ben share a bunch of thoughts on everything from coaching and seafood to writing and meditation! We start off the chat talking about some misdirected thinking on calories and some better ways to go about the pursuit of weight-loss. The discussion turns to independent action and the ability to make changes w...
Apr 20, 2020•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 107
We have an extra special episode in store for all of our listeners today! A live conversation with Ben Greenfield that we promise you are not going to want to miss. Ben is one of the most prominent minds in the health and fitness world and his attention to holistic and ancestral ideas is second to none! We get into a big discussion on longevity and all the areas that are to be considered when aiming to optimize for it. Ben also weighs in with his thoughts on medicine, cleansing, diet and health ...
Apr 16, 2020•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 106
For this episode of the Muscle Intelligence Podcast, Ashleigh and Ben dig deeper into living your best life during the quarantine. We talk about keeping your sights set on priorities, shopping and stocking up and finding the time to work on projects that you really care about. Ben muses about a day that recently went awry and why that might have happened before the conversation turns to evolving as a person through natural phases in life and the habits that allow these important changes to occur...
Apr 13, 2020•52 min•Ep. 105
We often talk about the idea of objective versus subjective living on the podcast and our guest today is such a great example of someone acting in the most objective way possible, zeroing in on a goal and then chasing that relentlessly. Kris Gethin is the founder and CEO of Kaged Muscle, a supplement company bringing you the most natural and healthy things you need in your diet. Kris is also a coach and trainer of the highest order, helping his clients reach beyond their natural potential to ama...
Apr 09, 2020•52 min•Ep. 104
We find ourselves in quite a crazy crisis right now but there is still so much to be grateful for and we can only look forward at the opportunities that are present in front of us. Today's show is the recording of a live broadcast in which the Q&A traverses the usual range of topics with the added element of the coronavirus and quarantine! The first point that is made is that this is an opportunity like none other; why not use this quarantine period and break from regular routine to do somet...
Apr 06, 2020•1 hr 15 min•Ep. 103
Our internal dialogue creates our external reality. When this reality is one of fear, self-doubt, shame, and judgment, it acts as an obstacle, holding you back from living a life of alignment and purpose. No matter how good we may be at goal setting, if we do not work on these mental roadblocks, we will never get to where we want to be. Today's guest is a phenomenal leader in the behavioral and mindset world, John Assaraf. When he started, his focus was on helping people thrive financially. He h...
Apr 02, 2020•54 min•Ep. 102
Peptides will most likely be a familiar term for most listeners of this podcast, with the awareness of their benefits and effects growing steadily during the last part of the 20th century and into this one. Today we are joined by Ryan Smith, one of the top three leading experts on the subject of peptides! He is the CEO of Tailor Made Compounding, a company out of Kentucky that has now gone international. He is here to discuss the impact of peptides, the effects of certain products and just share...
Mar 30, 2020•57 min•Ep. 101
