The Discover Strength Podcast

In this episode of the Discover Strength Podcast, Luke Carlson sits down with Ulrich Dempfle, CEO and co-founder of Carol Bike, to discuss how Reduced Exertion High-Intensity Interval Training (REHIT) is transforming the world of cardio. Built on cutting-edge scientific research, REHIT protocols deliver remarkable improvements in VO2 max and metabolic health with workouts as short as 5 minutes.

Ulrich explains how Carol Bike was des...

In this episode of the Discover Strength Podcast, CEO Luke Carlson is joined by a powerhouse panel including Discover Strength leaders and Dr. James Fisher for a roundtable discussion straight from the Strength Forum in Orlando, Florida.

The Strength Forum is a small, annual conference hosted by Discover Strength that brings together like-minded resistance exercise practitioners, physicians, and researchers from around the world to ...

Can your workout make you a better leader?

In this episode of the Discover Strength Podcast, CEO and exercise physiologist Luke Carlson explores the science and psychology behind the powerful connection between physical training and leadership performance.

Drawing from published research and real-world leadership examples—from John D. Rockefeller to Jerry Seinfeld—Luke makes the case that consistent, high-effort exercise isn’t just g...

In this episode of the Discover Strength Podcast, CEO and exercise physiologist Luke Carlson is joined by longtime client Dr. Brian Davis to discuss his journey to increasing lean muscle, losing fat, getting stronger, and pursuing healthy aging.

With over 10 years of training at Discover Strength, Dr. Davis shares how pairing evidence-based strength training with a GLP-1 allowed him to lose significant weight without sacrificing mus...

What’s the difference between living long and living well? In this episode of the Discover Strength Podcast, CEO and exercise physiologist Luke Carlson dives into the critical distinction between longevity and healthy aging—and how strength training plays a foundational role in both.

Luke breaks down what the latest research says about the lifestyle factors that actually impact healthspan, including resistance training, cardiorespir...

In this compelling discussion, Discover Strength CEO Luke Carlson is joined by world-renowned exercise researcher Dr. James Fisher to unpack the growing global recognition of resistance training as medicine.

Fresh off the Health & Fitness Association European Congress in Amsterdam, Luke and Dr. Fisher explore the clinical power of strength training—from reversing chronic disease to transforming how healthcare systems could view ...

In this episode of the Discover Strength Podcast, CEO and exercise physiologist Luke Carlson shares how putting simplicity at the center of your life—from your business to your workouts—can transform your results.

Drawing inspiration from Essentialism by Greg McKeown, Insanely Simple by Ken Segall, and The One Thing by Gary Keller, Luke explores how a minimalist mindset leads to greater clarity, deeper focus, and measurable outcomes...

In this powerful solo episode, Discover Strength CEO and Exercise Physiologist Luke Carlson unpacks a newly published review paper in the journal Physical Education and Sports, Studies and Research titled “A Critical Analysis of the Disconnection Between Science and Practice in Weight Training.”

Drawing from a systematic review of 47 studies, Luke reveals a troubling truth: most fitness professionals, physical therapists, ...

In this episode of the Discover Strength Podcast, CEO Luke Carlson breaks down the rise of popular fitness trends—like walking with a weighted vest, cold plunging, Zone 2 cardio, yoga, and Pilates—and asks the critical question every smart fitness consumer should start with: “What is your objective?”

Luke explores how trends gain momentum through podcast influencers, social media, and industry supply chains—often without evidence of...

In this episode of the Discover Strength Podcast, CEO Luke Carlson is joined by Dr. James Fisher, a globally recognized exercise scientist, to explore what happens in our bodies from the very first weeks of resistance training through years of disciplined effort. They break down the neurological adaptations that drive early strength gains, the morphological changes that come later, and what advanced trainees can do to keep progress...

What do Steve Jobs and your next strength workout have in common? In this episode, Discover Strength CEO and exercise physiologist Luke Carlson tells the surprising story of how a freshman-year paper on high-intensity training (HIT) led to an unforgettable analogy: HIT is the Apple of strength training.

Luke explores how HIT—rooted in evidence-based, efficient, and safe exercise—shares the same ethos of simplicity, sophistication, a...

In this episode of the Discover Strength Podcast, CEO and exercise physiologist Luke Carlson interviews Dr. Brendon Gurd of Queen's University to unpack one of the biggest fitness buzzwords of the last five years: Zone 2 training.

Dr. Gurd breaks down his recently published paper in Sports Medicine, titled “Much Ado About Zone 2”, and reveals what the current science says about the efficacy of Zone 2 training for improving mito...

What separates a good strength training session from a great one? In this episode of the Discover Strength Podcast, CEO Luke Carlson is joined by three of the brand’s most experienced exercise physiologists—Rick Regnell, Kayla Ezuck, and Taylor Melvin—for a candid conversation rooted in over 100,000 training sessions.

They break down the habits and mindset traits that expert trainers notice—and deeply respect—in high-performing clie...

In this pivotal episode, Discover Strength CEO Luke Carlson dives deep into the core purpose and bold 10-year vision that will shape the future of the company—and potentially, the entire fitness industry. Luke unpacks the driving force behind Discover Strength’s mission: to lead a movement in evidence-based exercise, and outlines the newly defined BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goal): to become the destination for resistance exercise as...

Discover Strength CEO and exercise physiologist Luke Carlson takes you behind the scenes of Project Discover—our ongoing effort to advance the science of strength training and lead the movement in evidence-based exercise.

In this episode, Luke shares: 

• The history of Discover Strength’s published research and collaborations with Dr. James Fisher and Dr. James Steele. 
• Why our supervised, high-quality training environment...

In this powerful solo episode, Luke Carlson—CEO of Discover Strength shares 20 hard-earned lessons from completing 30 marathons over the past two decades. Blending cutting-edge exercise science with personal experimentation, Luke explores the real factors that drive performance: running economy, durability, strength training, progressive overload, nutrition, body composition, mental fortitude, and more.

Listeners will learn:

• Why ...

Fitness content is everywhere—but how do you separate science from sound bites?

In this episode of the Discover Strength Podcast, CEO and exercise physiologist Luke Carlson shares four expert-backed filters for determining whether fitness information is credible. Learn why flashy confidence is a red flag, why you shouldn’t blindly follow the fittest person in the room, and how real experts lean into scientific nuance—not oversimplif...

For years, we've been told that losing weight is the key to better health. But what if everything you thought you knew about fitness and fatness is wrong? In this episode, Discover Strength CEO and exercise physiologist Luke Carlson unpacks the science behind the Fit and Fat Paradox — revealing why being aerobically fit and strong matters far more than the number on the scale.

You’ll learn:

• Why fitness (VO2 Max and strength)...

In this episode of the Discover Strength Podcast, CEO and exercise physiologist Luke Carlson breaks down three powerful "here and now" techniques to immediately improve the quality of your next strength training workout. From eliminating momentum at the start of each rep, to applying maximum effort with proper intent, and maintaining perfect form regardless of how many reps you did last time—these science-backed strategie...