Four Pillar Fitness

Do you spend time in solitude?

I don't mean by yourself, scrolling through your social media feeds looking at what all your "friends" are doing.

Real solitude.

Disconnected from everything but the sound of your own thoughts.

Making your way through days without the background noise of social media, news and nonsense.

You might be surprised what you learn about yourself when your internal voice becomes the one you hear the loudest.

...

If you listen to the news, you'd think the COVID-19 coronavirus was the end of the world.

But the truth is that we've learned an awful lot in the 7 or so months since this novel coronavirus started to spread.

In today's episode, we're looking at the work of one group of really smart people.

At the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) in Singapore, much has been discovered about COVID-19 and the virus that causes it,...

The COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic seems like the only thing on TV, radio, streaming services, news media and just about anywhere else.

Infection counts, death tolls, arguments between politicians and the breathless pandering of the hair hat idiots in the media are overwhelming to the average adult.

Can you imagine what all that can do to your kids?

Without your life experience and perspective, they can easily become terrified.

This...

Feedback is important to the training process.

Whether your athlete is learning a new lift, honing speed technique or developing a new sport skill, feedback can improve the process.

It can sometimes mean the difference between failing and succeeding.

But what if feedback is even more important than that?

What if feedback, done well and done right, can actually improve an athlete's brain?

Join me for a look at how coaching feedback ...

Youth sports, especially in the US, has taken a lot of criticism lately.

Not so much for the actual playing of the sports themselves. The criticism usually involves the behaviors, attitudes and actions of the adults involved.

Generally, it's always been thought that playing sports is good for kids.

Most people who've played youth sports would likely agree.

In today's episode, I review a study out of Montreal that links playing yout...

It's (another) New Year. Are you making (another) batch of resolutions?

How'd the last bunch work out?

If the answer is "not so hot," the problem might not be you.

It might just be the resolutions you're making!

More accurately, it might be the nature of your resolutions.

Want to make better, more successful resolutions?

Join me and learn:

Why emotion matters to your resolutions!

What the Avoidance Violation Effect is and how it ca...

It's the most wonderful time of the year!

That's right!

Christmas, Hanukkah, New Year's Eve all come rolling right in after Thanksgiving!

It's like one calorie-riddled binge opportunity after another!

Parties, errands, decorating, family get-togethers!

Food, time crunches, stress, booze...

It can all add up to a serious post-holiday bulge!

But you can avoid it if you're prepared.

And no, you don't have to skip this one this year. (...

What's the key to success?

Is there really a "secret sauce" for long-term success and achievement?

What separates those who push through the hard times from those who bail when the going gets tough?

Angela Duckworth is the author of the book "Grit" and a researcher at the University of Pennsylvania.

In this episode, I take a look at a huge study done on the factors that predict success.

Ms. Duckworth and her colleagues looked at ov...

Today's episode is a fresh edition of "Know Stuff," the series that brings you the stuff you need to know about health, fitness, nutrition and performance topics in a way that you might actually enjoy!

In this episode, we're talking about the gastrocnemius.

This muscle is often overlooked until it becomes a pain!

Find out how it's built, what it does, what can go wrong and how to keep it healthy and performing at it's best!

I also ...

Today, I'm going to share my thoughts on whether parents should hire a youth fitness coach for their kids.

Of course, since I am a Youth Fitness Professional, you might imagine that I'm biased toward a "yes" answer.

You might be surprised!

While I do believe that every kid would benefit from working with a Youth Fitness Pro, that doesn't mean it's the right choice for you, as a parent, or for your kid.

So I'm going to share a few i...

Accountability. It's used so often and in so many arenas that it's practically a cliche.

In business, in school and in sports and training, everyone likes to talk about accountability.

For coaches, whether in youth sports or fitness and strength and conditioning, it seems universally accepted that accountability is key.

In these arenas, "holding athletes accountable" is like a ninja skill.

But what if all this accountability is mor...

It's THAT time of year again!

Kids are complaining, parents are rejoicing and nobody is really fully ready for what's next.

I'm talking about "back-to-school" time, of course!

There's a lot to think about when this time rolls around. 

Shopping, class schedules, new school mates, sports, etc.

Nutrition can often get lost in the shuffle.

So I'm offering some tips for making sure your kids nutrition (and yours!) stays healthier a...

Do you know what leptin is?

If you're trying to lose weight or struggling with weight issues, you probably should.

Chances are, it has something to do with your success, or lack of it.

You might be leptin resistant.

And no matter which side of the aisle you're on or which way you lean, this is not a resistance you want any part of!

Leptin is an important hormone for lots of reasons, but it's greatest importance is in metabolism and...

If you heard the first one, you already know this one is going to be fun!

Lyle McDonald joins me once again for a lively shout at some clouds!

In this episode, Lyle shares:

• How he got his start as a Karaoke superstar!
• His thoughts on "sport-specific training."
• When early specialization might actually help.
• Why the process matters, what the formula for success in training, sports, fat loss
  and other areas really looks...

This episode is rapid-fire, a little bit fun and a whole lot of useful!

To be fair, this could have been 172 or even 1,072 fat loss tips that work.

There are so many things you can do - small things and big - to burn more fat that it feels like this is just the "starter set."

But here are 72.

They'll help you get your meals right, step up your exercise and calorie-burning and maximize your fat loss!

Some are fairly predictable, som...

Have you struggled with losing weight? 

Weight loss can be frustrating. 

You're doing fine, then suddenly, poof!

The weight stops coming off or even starts piling on again!

Grrrrr!

It can make you feel like a failure, for sure!

But science may have figured out why so many people stop losing weight after the first batch of pounds comes off.

It's not what you think it is.

In some ways, it's worse!

But scientists and some li...

Today, I'm sharing the first of my "Essential Laws of Strength, Fitness and Performance."

These didn't happen by accident.

These Essential Laws were developed through observation and analysis, careful review of my work and that of others and trial and error.

Law #1 may be the most important one to remember.

Join me as I discuss how what we value as a society has impacted our fitness and health.

Find out why it might be better to be...

Everywhere you look, there seem to be fitness coaches, strength and conditioning coaches, personal trainers and others in the fitness profession who are trying as hard as they can to suck. They seem to be trying to be terrible.

I'm one of those people who believes that if you really want something and are willing to work at getting it, you should have it. ;)

So I thought I'd do my part to help those folks get what they want.

Join m...

Everywhere you turn, it seems that someone is trying to convince you that marijuana - weed, cannabis, etc., - is not only not dangerous, but somehow good for you.

I'm not talking about medical marijuana here. This is about recreational and casual marijuana.

Government, media, lobbyists and those who will profit from legal cannabis are on the bandwagon preaching the virtues of legal and widely available pot.

But what does the scienc...