Welcome to the Mind Muscle Connection Podcast! In today’s episode, I sit down with Dave Marsh to deep dive Performance, Recovery, and Nervous System Regulation We talk about the role your nervous system plays in recovery, how chronic stress can sabotage your training, and what metrics actually matter when you’re trying to grow, physically and mentally. Dave also shares his personal experience with ayahuasca, and how that helped him reconnect with his body in a way no spreadsheet ever could. If y...
Jan 28, 2026•1 hr 9 min
Welcome to the Mind Muscle Connection Podcast! In today’s episode, I dive deep into Strategies To Preserve Muscle and Accelerate Recovery During Injury. I talk about the most effective strategies for preserving muscle mass when training is reduced or paused, including nutrition adjustments, training alternatives like the cross-education effect, and key lifestyle factors that can either support or slow down recovery. Plus, supplement suggestions, common mistakes to avoid, and how to approach retu...
Jan 26, 2026•28 min
Welcome to the Mind Muscle Connection Podcast! In this solo episode, I talk about Post Workout Nutrition, The Framework I Use With Clients I walk through the ideal post-training protein window, what types of carbs and fats to eat (or avoid), and how different training styles and schedules can shift your approach. I also cover digestion, gut health, and real-life examples from my own training and clients. If you’ve been putting in the work but still feel stuck or if you’re just guessing when it c...
Jan 23, 2026•17 min
Welcome to the Mind Muscle Connection Podcast! In today’s episode, I’m joined by Dr. Mike Molloy, founder of M2 Performance Nutrition and coach to elite athletes across CrossFit, MMA, and the Olympics. We dive into Performance VS Aesthetics, Calorie Needs, and Gut Health’s Role in Performance and Physique Dr. Mike shares powerful insights from working with athletes who eat up to 6,000+ calories a day and how general population clients can hit a plateau just trying to survive on 1,400. We get int...
Jan 21, 2026•1 hr 2 min
Welcome to the Mind Muscle Connection Podcast! In this episode of the Mind Muscle Connection Podcast, I dig into What Can and Can’t Happen At Maintenance Calories We’ll cover how body composition can still improve without weight loss, what kinds of goals maintenance supports best, and why some people (especially women) benefit more from this phase than they realize. I’ll also talk through what can’t happen at maintenance and how to know if you’re truly there or stuck in artificially low maintena...
Jan 19, 2026•29 min
Welcome to the Mind Muscle Connection Podcast! In this solo episode, I talk about Why Some People Gain Less Fat on 1,000 Extra Calories We’ll dive into the science of NEAT (non-exercise activity thermogenesis), how your body subconsciously responds to a surplus, and the five key takeaways that can guide how you approach bulking. I also share practical strategies for controlling fat gain and maximizing muscle growth. This episode is a must-listen so be sure to tune in! Let’s talk about: Introduct...
Jan 16, 2026•22 min
Welcome to the Mind Muscle Connection Podcast! In today’s episode, I’m sharing my guest appearance on The Allison Pavone Show, where we had a great conversation about Reverse Dieting, Muscle, and Metabolism After 30 We dive into metabolic adaptation, how to find your true maintenance calories, when reverse dieting is necessary, and why sustainable results come from lifting with intention, recovering well, and making nutrition work for your real life and so much more. So whether you’re spinning y...
Jan 14, 2026•1 hr 5 min
Welcome to the Mind Muscle Connection Podcast! In this solo episode, I take a deep dive into Review of New Dietary Guidelines + My Foundational Nutrition Habits. I talk about the emphasis on real food, protein, sugar, dairy, saturated fat, and processed foods along with what the guidelines don’t mention, like lifestyle habits, exercise, stress, and behavioral skills that are essential to long-term success. I also share my personal foundational nutrition habits that go beyond what’s written in of...
Jan 12, 2026•29 min
Welcome to the Mind Muscle Connection Podcast! In this solo episode, I talk about “Ignoring These Signs? You Could Be Making Fat Loss/Muscle Gain Tougher” This one’s especially important if you’re in your 30s or beyond and feel like you’re doing everything right but still not seeing the results you want. I walk through the most common symptoms I see with client slow energy, brain fog, poor recovery, irregular hunger and cravings, low libido, menstrual cycle changes, and more and explain what the...
Jan 09, 2026•26 min
Welcome to the Mind Muscle Connection Podcast! This episode with Dr. Eric Helms was one of the most downloaded of 2025 so I wanted to bring it back as a rebroadcast. Dr Eric shares what his contest prep looked like at the time, how he handled stress and biofeedback, and what changed for him as he got older as a natural bodybuilder. We talked through everything from digestive issues during a diet phase, to offseason strategies, to how much muscle you can realistically build in a surplus without b...
Jan 07, 2026•1 hr 14 min
Welcome to the Mind Muscle Connection Podcast! In this solo episode, I’m diving into Gut Health 101 for Body Comp You’ll learn how gut issues can silently affect things like appetite, cravings, fatigue, recovery, and nutrient absorption. I’ll walk you through signs your gut might be off, what good gut health looks like, and the practical lifestyle shifts you can start making today before going down the rabbit hole of testing and supplements. This is based not only on what I see in clients, but w...
Jan 05, 2026•31 min
Welcome to the Mind Muscle Connection Podcast! In this solo episode, I share my 2025 Fitness Lessons/Learnings I talk about navigating sleep deprivation as a new dad, hitting burnout even with “perfect” habits, and how stress subtly changes everything from motivation to results. I also get into the habits I’m doubling down on moving forward, and why chasing resilience (not perfection) feels more important than ever. If you’re in a season of transition, or just looking to make smarter choices tha...
Jan 02, 2026•43 min
Welcome to the Mind Muscle Connection Podcast! In this episode, I’m sharing a recent conversation from when I was a guest on the Fit Father Project Podcast to talk about How My Fitness Has Changed Since Becoming a Father I sat down with Luke for a real conversation on what life’s been like since becoming a dad and how that’s impacted my training, my routine, and my mindset. This episode is part personal reflection, part practical strategies, and all about navigating this season with intention. W...
Dec 31, 2025•46 min
Welcome to the Mind Muscle Connection Podcast! In this solo episode, I dive into the Fat Loss Misconceptions To Leave Behind in 2026 From willpower misconceptions to calorie slashing gone wrong, I break down why some of the most common advice you hear about fat loss might actually be the thing holding you back. We’ll cover GLP-1s, diet quality, recovery tradeoffs, meal timing, and more, plus what to do instead if you want results that actually last. If you’ve been spinning your wheels or feeling...
Dec 29, 2025•27 min
Welcome to the Mind Muscle Connection Podcast! In this solo episode, I dive deep into the 7 Common Cardio Mistakes Lifters Make In a Body Recomp I’ll walk you through the biggest mistakes I see when it comes to cardio and body recomposition from relying only on steps to turning your lifts into cardio. You’ll learn how to program smarter, why progressive overload still matters, and how cardio can actually improve your recovery and training performance. If you’ve been avoiding cardio or just doing...
Dec 26, 2025•25 min
Welcome to the Mind Muscle Connection Podcast! In today's episode, I am joined by Derrick Van Every, a natural pro bodybuilder, coach, and science-based educator. He brings a wealth of firsthand experience and deep knowledge when it comes to building muscle. We dig into The Science of Muscle Growth: Mechanical Tension, Hormones, and The Pump. Derrick and I break down the myths around “the pump,” soreness, and low vs high rep training, including how to think about long-term progress and realistic...
Dec 24, 2025•1 hr 12 min
Welcome to the Mind Muscle Connection Podcast! In this episode, I break down How to Improve Your Metabolic Flexibility. You’ll hear how metabolic flexibility affects energy, cravings, hunger, and performance especially if you’ve been stuck in a fat loss or muscle-building plateau. Plus, I explain the two “avatars” of metabolic inflexibility (low-carb overtrainers vs. high-carb under-movers), how to know where you fall, and the right strategies to start feeling better and seeing results again. If...
Dec 22, 2025•29 min
Welcome to the Mind Muscle Connection Podcast! In this solo episode, I am answering a few questions about Sleep Biofeedback Markers, Low VS High Reps, Progressive Overload, Can Maint Cals Change I talk about the key factors that impact sleep, recovery, and fat loss, everything from circadian rhythm habits and caffeine timing to sleep quality and total daily energy expenditure. I also touch on common mistakes I see around maintenance calories and why your body might be adapting in ways you don’t ...
Dec 19, 2025•29 min
Welcome to the Mind Muscle Connection Podcast! Peter Fitschen is back on the podcast for round four, and this one dives deep into Bodybuilding vs. Gen Pop Fat Loss Sustainability Thresholds, Reverse Dieting and More. We cover everything from smart prep timelines to post-diet recovery to why sustainability looks very different for competitors vs. lifestyle clients. We break down where most people go wrong in fat loss phases, how aggressive you can really be, plus Peter shares what he’s doing diff...
Dec 17, 2025•1 hr 12 min
Welcome to the Mind Muscle Connection Podcast! In this solo episode, I’m breaking down my Unpopular Opinion: More Muscle Isn’t Always Better I’m walking through the downsides of always being in a surplus, training 5–6 days a week, and neglecting things like conditioning, movement, and stress management. I touch on long-term health, muscle quality, recovery limitations as we age, and why your lifestyle habits need to match your goals. This episode is especially relevant if you’re over 30 and tryi...
Dec 15, 2025•27 min
Welcome to the Mind Muscle Connection Podcast! In this solo episode, I’m sharing a New Research: What Actually Builds Muscle and What Doesn’t I walk through what actually drives hypertrophy, why effort and technique beat fancy strategies every time, and why things like the pump, soreness, or even hormonal spikes aren’t as important as we once thought. I also get into what recovery really means, why consistency matters more than perfection, and the rep ranges I’ve come to believe work best for lo...
Dec 12, 2025•26 min
Welcome to the Mind Muscle Connection Podcast! In this episode, I sit down with Mikki Williden, PhD in nutrition, registered nutritionist, endurance athlete, and host of the Mikkipedia podcast. We get into everything from collagen and bone health to macro tracking, carb periodization, alcohol, and metabolic flexibility. Mikki shares how her approach has evolved over the years, what she prioritizes with clients, and why food quality still matters even if you’re hitting your macros. If you want to...
Dec 10, 2025•1 hr 2 min
Welcome to the Mind Muscle Connection Podcast! In this solo episode, I’m diving into 7 Recovery Killers That Make Body Comp Change Harder For Those Over 30 I’ll break down what recovery really means, why it matters more as you age, and how things like poor diet quality, high training volume, and bad sleep habits compound over time. I also cover how to recognize when you’re under-recovered and share real markers and strategies to get back on track. If you’ve been pushing hard in the gym but feel ...
Dec 08, 2025•25 min
Welcome to the Mind Muscle Connection Podcast! In today’s solo episode, we dive into the High Energy Flex Lifestyle — a sustainable approach to staying lean, feeling better, and maintaining a healthier metabolism year-round. You’ll learn how High Energy Flex works, why it's more effective than typical dieting strategies, and how to implement it based on your goals. Let’s talk about: Introduction What the High Energy Flex Lifestyle Actually Means How Energy Balance Adapts (and why that matters) M...
Dec 05, 2025•27 min
Welcome to the Mind Muscle Connection Podcast! In today’s episode, I sit down with Jordan Lips and Bryan Boorstein to talk about Chest Training, Volume, TRT, Sleep, Our Training Routines We get into chest training strategies and the evolution of our programming over time, plus how our own routines are shifting with age and experience. Brian shares his thoughts on low-dose TRT and tracking bloodwork, and we talk about how to stay adaptable with volume, sleep, and recovery as life changes. If you’...
Dec 03, 2025•54 min
Welcome to the Mind Muscle Connection Podcast! In this solo episode, I walk you through Some Things I’ve Changed My Mind On When It Comes To Building Muscle. These are shifts I’ve made through coaching hundreds of clients, refining my own training, and staying curious as a student of the process. I cover things like training volume, form, cardio, machines vs. barbells, pushing weight gain, and more. This episode is for the lifters who want to train smarter… not just harder and actually understan...
Dec 01, 2025•39 min
Welcome to the Mind Muscle Connection Podcast! In this solo episode, I talk about “A Strategy To Stay Leaner And Healthier During Your Build Phase For Those Over 30 I dive into a strategy that can keep your metabolism sharp, improve body composition, and reduce unwanted fat gain without sacrificing muscle growth. Also, I break down the difference between the fed and fasted states, why it matters during a surplus, and how to strategically incorporate low-carb days or fasted cardio without tanking...
Nov 28, 2025•21 min
Welcome to the Mind Muscle Connection Podcast! In this coaches roundtable episode, I sat down with Brandon and Jeremiah to talk through some of the biggest topics lifters are wrestling with right now. Volume For Muscle Growth, Body Recomp, Calorie Surpluses, Fasted Training and More We get into how we think about volume, why some people grow with less and some need more, the real story behind body recomposition, why surpluses don’t need to be aggressive, and where fasted training or cardio makes...
Nov 26, 2025•1 hr 16 min
Welcome to the Mind Muscle Connection Podcast! In this solo episode, I talk about How to Feel Great This Holiday Season (And Not Feel Bloated, Puffy and Stressed) I share the exact strategies I use with clients to help them feel good and not just survive the holidays, but come out of them feeling better. Plus, I break down what really matters during this time of year: strength training, cardio, smart movement, hydration, sleep, meal timing, alcohol moderation, and managing stress. If you’ve ever...
Nov 24, 2025•22 min
Welcome to the Mind Muscle Connection Podcast! In this episode, I break down 3 Things That I Look For In Each Set To Build Muscle. I share what truly drives hypertrophy in your training: how to approach setup and execution, why tempo matters more than you think, and what level of intensity is actually required to stimulate muscle growth. You’ll also hear how life stress, fatigue, and training inefficiencies can all affect your results and what to do instead. These are the same principles I use t...
Nov 21, 2025•21 min
