Strength training after 40 isn’t about doing more—it’s about training smarter. In this episode, I break down how your body changes with age, why technical failure is better than total failure, and how to make your workouts more effective the right way!  Plus, I’ll share my best tips for getting real results without burnout or injury!

#389 Training SMARTER After 40!

Why does the Human Body and Brain Rot Away? Can we slow it down or stop it? Can we keep getting fitter and stronger even if we are sick, injured or old?
YES/NO/Why?
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Why does the Human Body and Brain Rot Away...with Rowie McEvoy

Chad’s back with fitness guru Rob Conaster, and this time they’re breaking down the real science behind getting your body right, without overcomplicating things. Why should you be doing lunges, planks, and pushups? Rob explains how each simple move works specific muscles and builds overall strength. They dive into warmups, what they should look like, whether they count as part of the workout, and how they set the tone for your entire session, and get into daily habits you can build to stay strong, how often you should be moving your body, and why consistency beats intensity every time. Plus, they cover calories, healthy snacks, supplements, and how to make your diet and lifestyle support your goals without turning your life upside down. Listen in for some easy listening, straight-up advice from one of the best in the game. Stay healthy! Stay Fit! This episode is brought to you by Sierra Strength and Speed, Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Sour Mash Whiskey, Bad Boy Mowers, The Provider Culinary, Napa Valley Olive Oil, Oakley Sunglasses, BO 3.0 Hydration, Corning Ford, BedSlide, Mickey Thompson Tires, Liberty Heritage Apparel, GATR Coolers and Drinkware, Z-Line Appliances, and Jack Link’s Protein Snacks.

E480 - Strong is The New Standard - Keeping Your Body Tuned For The Long Haul, with Rob Conaster

Training Principles for Lifters 30+: Build Strength, Save Time, Stay Consistent  Training can feel overwhelming, especially with so many conflicting voices in the fitness world. In this episode, we break down the key principles of effective, time-efficient strength training to help you build physical freedom, longevity, and resilience—without wasting hours in the gym.  Many lifters struggle to balance fitness with the demands of real life. Whether you're in your 30s, 40s, 50s, or beyond, training smart is essential to staying strong, capable, and injury-free. This episode lays out the fundamental principles of resistance training, how to maximize results with minimal time, and why strength is about more than just muscle—it’s about building a body that supports your long-term health and daily life. If you’re looking to train efficiently while maintaining consistency, this episode is for you. The Key to Sustainable Strength Training One of the biggest factors in a successful fitness routine is sustainability. Many people create unrealistic training schedules that don’t fit their lifestyle, leading to burnout or inconsistency. Instead of aiming for an unsustainable six-day-per-week program, consider what is truly realistic for your life. For most middle-aged lifters, two to three resistance training sessions per week—totaling around 90 minutes—can be incredibly effective. Aiming for 8,000-10,000 daily steps further supports overall fitness without adding excessive strain. Remember, consistency over time matters more than short bursts of intense training. By focusing on a realistic, sustainable plan, you set yourself up for long-term success rather than short-lived motivation that fades away. The Most Efficient Exercises for Strength &amp; Longevity Not all exercises are created equal. To get the biggest bang for your buck in the gym, prioritize movements that work multiple muscle groups and joints simultaneously. These include:   Squats (engage legs, core, and balance)   Deadlifts (train posterior chain, grip strength, and overall power)   Pressing Motions (like bench press or overhead press for upper body strength)   These compound movements build muscle, strengthen connective tissues, and reinforce natural movement patterns essential for daily activities. If time is limited, focusing on these fundamental lifts ensures you're making the most of your gym sessions. Additionally, barbells are a powerful tool due to their scalability, availability, and ability to progressively overload—allowing you to steadily build strength over time. While machines have their place, free-weight movements generally offer more functional benefits for long-term fitness. Making Strength Training a Lifestyle, Not a Burden One of the biggest barriers to consistent training is the feeling that it’s a burden. Instead of treating workouts as a chore, approach them as an investment in your future self. Think of training like cooking—just as a good meal balances salt, fat, acid, and heat, an effective program balances strength, mobility, and endurance. It’s also important to trust the process. Results don’t happen overnight, and progress requires faith in the system. Strength training is about more than aesthetics—it’s about preserving function, preventing injuries, and feeling like a beast well into your later years. By establishing core training principles and sticking to them, you can cut through the noise of the fitness world and focus on what truly works for long-term health and physical freedom.  PS - IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN TAKING ONLINE COACHING FOR A TEST RUN,&nbsp;  Connect with the hosts     Connect with the show     Or email&nbsp;

Training Principles for Lifters 30+: Build Strength, Save Time, Stay Consistent

On this episode of Beast Over Burden, Niki and Andrew break down what it means to ditch the PR obsession and rethink your entire approach to lifting. If you’ve ever felt burned out chasing endless personal records, this is your permission slip to step off the hamster wheel and build a system that actually works. You’ll learn how to structure your training week, hit every major muscle group with efficiency, and understand the role recovery plays in long-term growth. Whether you’re a seasoned lifter or still finding your groove, this episode delivers the practical mindset shift you need to stay strong for life. Ditch the PR Obsession: Why SMART Goals Alone Don’t Work The central theme of this episode — ditch the PR obsession — starts with a mindset shift. Chasing PRs feels great until they slow down, or stop altogether. Then what? Andrew shares how major goal accomplishments often left him feeling empty, while Nikki reflects on the outdated advice she used to give: "just add weight to the bar." The truth is, progress isn’t linear, and it’s not always measurable by a new number on the bar. This is where systems thinking comes in — the shift from an all-or-nothing focus on outcomes to valuing consistency, execution, and adaptability in training. Lifters who make this shift find joy and freedom in the process itself. Build a Week That Works: Training 3–4 Days for Full-Body Strength Nikki and Andrew lay out a sustainable weekly training template that any lifter can follow. Rather than rigid programming, they present a flexible "menu" of slots — squats, presses, pulls — you can mix and match across 3–4 days per week. The focus is on efficiency and simplicity: train your knees, hips, and shoulders; hit your arms and back with smart accessories; keep sessions manageable so they can be repeated and adapted. By using this approach, lifters can ditch the PR obsession and stay in the game long-term. Progress comes not from perfect programs, but from consistent effort over time. Smart Volume, Real Intensity: How Much Work Is Enough? Volume isn’t just about doing more — it’s about doing enough of the right kind of work. Andrew explains how 9–20 hard sets per muscle group per week, at 1–3 reps from failure, forms the foundation of meaningful progress. They also highlight ideal rep ranges for hypertrophy (4–12), the value of variety in set structure (like EMOMs), and why effort matters more than chasing “optimal.” This perspective helps you create a training plan that isn’t just science-based — it’s sustainable. When you know how to push hard and when to hold back, it becomes easier to keep going — and keep growing. Accessory Work Isn’t Optional (Especially for Your Arms) Ever feel like your upper body is lagging behind? You’re not alone. Compound lifts are powerful, but they often fail to fully stimulate smaller muscle groups — especially biceps and triceps. The solution: don’t neglect accessories. Chin-ups, rows, curls, and triceps work can accelerate progress in your pressing movements and round out your physique. If your gains have stalled or you feel unbalanced, accessory work might be the piece you’re missing. It’s not fluff — it’s fuel for long-term development. Recovery: The Most Underrated Lifting Skill Recovery isn’t sexy, but it’s absolutely essential. Nikki and Andrew talk about what it really looks like to manage stress, adapt, and train consistently without burning out. Too many lifters equate doing more with doing better — but real growth comes from doing enough, and then recovering. Sleep, food, and rest days are the foundation. You don’t need ice baths or gadgets (unless you want them). You need time, patience, and permission to ditch the PR obsession once and for all. This isn’t about training less — it’s about training smarter so you can do more, for longer, and with fewer setbacks.  PS - IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN TAKING ONLINE COACHING FOR A...

Ditch the PR Obsession: A Smarter Way to Lift for the Long Haul

In this episode of Beast Over Burden, Andrew Jackson and Niki Sims break down the four pillars of building strength and muscle, giving lifters a principle-based framework to guide their training decisions. Whether you're trying to gain size, improve performance, or stay consistent as life gets busier, these pillars—simplicity, specificity, appropriate stress, and minimum effective dose—help you filter the noise and focus on what actually works. With practical examples, coaching wisdom, and real-world insight, this episode equips you to stop program-hopping and start progressing with confidence. 1. Simple, Hard, Effective: The Core Filter for Every Lifters’ Program The first pillar of building strength and muscle focuses on the triad of simple, hard, and effective training. Rather than overwhelming yourself with complex programming or unnecessary movements, choose exercises that train multiple muscle groups efficiently—like squats, deadlifts, and presses. Niki and Andrew emphasize that training should challenge your current capacity (hard), remain within reach (doable), and be directed toward clear outcomes (effective). Complexity has a place, but only when simplicity stops working. This pillar helps lifters and coaches cut through the noise and focus on doing what works—consistently. 2. The SAID Principle: Train Specifically for What You Want The second pillar is the Specific Adaptation to Imposed Demands (SAID) principle. Simply put: your body adapts to what you repeatedly ask it to do. If you want bigger glutes, you need to train your glutes. If you want to throw a baseball harder, you need to train in a way that supports that exact skill or adaptation. Andrew highlights the danger of false specificity—like balancing on a BOSU ball while lifting weights—as a distraction from actual progress. Niki reminds us that trying to chase too many goals at once leads to ineffective outcomes. The SAID principle reinforces that clarity in goals should drive clarity in your training choices. 3. Minimum Effective Dose (MED): The Key to Sustainable Progress The third pillar, minimum effective dose, is about finding the least amount of stress needed to cause a positive adaptation—then riding that wave as long as it lasts. It’s the opposite of “go hard or go home,” and it’s a powerful strategy for lifters who want to keep progressing over months and years. Andrew reflects on how MED revolutionized his coaching by removing the pressure to overhaul programs with every stall. Niki shares how MED helps lifters avoid burnout and build confidence with small, measurable wins. This approach gives you control over your training trajectory and allows for smarter adjustments. 4. Informed Trade-Offs: Training Within Life’s Constraints The fourth pillar of building strength and muscle is about making informed trade-offs within the constraints of your real life—your time, energy, equipment, money, and motivation. This is where the concept of physical freedom shines: the ability to pursue the goals that matter most to you without being enslaved by a rigid program. Andrew and Niki highlight how strength training can (and should) evolve to fit different seasons of life. Sometimes your choices are between good and better, like skiing vs. a competition; other times it’s about doing what you can with limited bandwidth. When you understand your constraints and make strategic decisions, you gain the freedom to keep training and making progress—on your terms.  PS - IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN TAKING ONLINE COACHING FOR A TEST RUN,&nbsp;  Connect with the hosts     Connect with the show     Or email&nbsp;

The Four Pillars of Building Strength and Muscle

Life’s messy—but your strength doesn’t have to be. In this episode of Beast Over Burden, Niki Sims and Andrew Jackson dive into how to stay strong when life throws curveballs. From missed workouts to surprise illnesses, chaotic travel, or just busy seasons, they reveal how to adapt your training, stay consistent, and keep building strength—without falling into the all-or-nothing trap. 💥 Topics Covered:   Why perfection kills progress (and what mindset to replace it with)   Programming hacks for crazy schedules, travel, and low-energy days   Real-life coaching stories showing how to pivot training under pressure   Travel workout tactics when you’re stuck without a barbell   Recovery first: How to train smarter, not harder, when life gets messy   Key Strategies You’ll Learn: ✅ How to adjust your program (without guilt) ✅ How to rate your lifts by priority and recover faster ✅ How to structure backup plans you’ll actually use ✅ Machine-based training tricks for gyms on the road ✅ Why "grind culture" kills long-term strength—and how to avoid it 👉 Whether you’re sick, traveling, or just overwhelmed, this episode gives you real-world solutions to stay strong and keep training for life. 00:00 - Intro: Why Training Through Chaos Matters 03:22 - Ditch the All-or-Nothing Mindset 09:45 - Strength Training Through Travel and Sickness 16:10 - How to Flex Your Programming Like a Pro 22:35 - Machine-Based Workouts on the Road 29:48 - Why Recovery Matters More Than Heroics 35:00 - Closing Tips: Keep Moving Forward Through Life’s Messes #StrengthTraining #FitnessLifestyle #WorkoutTips #TravelWorkouts #BeastOverBurdenPodcast #StrengthThroughChaos #TrainingConsistency #AdaptableTraining #RealLifeTraining   PS - IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN TAKING ONLINE COACHING FOR A TEST RUN,&nbsp;  Connect with the hosts     Connect with the show     Or email&nbsp;  &nbsp;

Training When Life Gets Messy

Today we are talking about our 10km race last weekend. Kathryn and Kyle talk a little bit about the lead up, balancing training and recovery, and a break down of the run itself. They talk about pacing, why they kept their start pace even when everyone was blowing past them, pre-race carb loading, the taper week and how to challenge what's possible in a really sustainable way. We hope you enjoy listening! To sign up for our upcoming

258: 10km Race Recap with Kathryn and Kyle

Struggling to stay consistent with strength training? Feel like you're always starting over? In this episode, Niki Sims and Andrew Jackson deliver a realistic guide to long-term strength—not hype, not hacks—just what actually works for lasting progress, muscle, and freedom. 💡 Key Takeaways   Physical freedom = the ability to adapt and train for life—not just 12-week spurts   You don’t need 6 weeks—you need 18–24 months of structured training   Muscle = your emergency fund for long-term independence   A coach can accelerate your growth and cut years off your learning curve   Training through life (injury, kids, stress) is a skill you can build   You’re not “off the wagon”—you’re always training, just in different seasons   Stop starting over. Build habits and systems that stick.   TIMESTAMPS 0:00 Intro – Why $20 worth of value isn’t enough 1:45 What is physical freedom, and how do you earn it? 5:00 The 18–24 month training window that changes everything 10:50 Why most lifters plateau, quit, or burn out 15:20 How to train through chaos, injury, or parenthood 23:30 The mindset shift: discipline vs. peace 30:00 The “starting over” cycle and how to break it 33:00 How to actually prove physical freedom to yourself #strengthtraining #longevity #fitnessjourney #barbelltraining #muscleforlife #beastoverburden #barbelllogic #physicalfreedom #healthylifestyle #onlinecoaching #trainforlife  PS - IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN TAKING ONLINE COACHING FOR A TEST RUN,&nbsp;  Connect with the hosts     Connect with the show     Or email&nbsp;

From Frustrated to Free: A Realistic Guide to Long-Term Strength

This episode tackles overcoming the 3 big training pitfalls that silently sabotage lifters: mindless snacking, all-or-nothing thinking, and poor boundaries. Niki Sims and Andrew Jackson break it down with practical tips, real-life stories, and strategies that actually work for strength, longevity, and real-life training. 💡 Key Takeaways (Bullets for Engagement &amp; Search)   Identify and overcome the 3 big training pitfalls    Why snacks you don’t count still count    How “perfect or nothing” leads to burnout    Real-world boundary-setting tips for parties, travel, and stress    Choose awareness over reactivity in your lifting lifestyle    Training for strength, longevity, and health starts in daily habits   Timestamps 00:00 – Intro: Why these 3 pitfalls matter more than you think 02:10 – Pitfall 1: Mindless snacking and invisible calories 08:22 – Pitfall 2: All-or-nothing thinking and rigid training 16:48 – Pitfall 3: Boundary-setting in real life (social eating, time) 24:35 – Conscious choice vs reactivity 28:40 – Final thoughts: Build freedom through awareness, not perfection #strengthtraining #fitnesspodcast #barbelltraining #mindlesssnacking #trainingconsistency #physicalfreedom #barbelllogic #healthylifestyle #longevitytraining #realworldfitness #overcomingpitfalls  PS - IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN TAKING ONLINE COACHING FOR A TEST RUN,&nbsp;  Connect with the hosts     Connect with the show     Or email&nbsp;

Overcoming the 3 Big Training Pitfalls: Snacking, All-or-Nothing Thinking, & Weak Boundaries

The Earn That Body Podcast is here to give you fitness, nutrition and health information you can put into play right away.

With over a decade of teaching experience I am passionate about helping people of all ages feel more capable and confident in their bodies. My method of practice blends together mindfulness with strength training, yoga, movement and mobility for a well rounded embodied experience. I teach workshops and teacher training all over the world and own a small studio in Ontario, Canada. For information on my teacher training program, international workshops, blog and more visit kathrynbruniyoung.com

This Life Ain’t For Everybody is a media channel to connect with people who sacrifice and dedicate themselves to living a lifestyle that many can not, will not try, or perhaps we wish we could if we just knew the way. We host a podcast and produce youtube videos that capture these various lifestyles for your entertainment. We hope you enjoy!

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New tracks tagged #strength training