"Boredom, I think, protects the individual, makes tolerable for him the impossible experience of waiting for something without knowing what it could be."

Here's the deal: you will get bored.

We all love that new-car smell and sense of novelty when we start something new. The first couple of weeks on a new program or routine usually feels like you're really making progress, but then the honeymoon ends, and you find yourself knee-deep in The Grind. 

The Grind is the inevitably boring middle part of a training plan when things stop feeling exciting and fun, and you might even wonder whether you're making any progress at all. And that's why most people quit or program hop sometime in the third or fourth week of a program. 

Unfortunately, the grind is super-important. It's where you cement your learnings and really start making headway. Without the grind, you don't build to the eventual results you want. 

The Grind can suck, but we'll show you how you can learn to love it.

"Progressive overload" is a principle in training that says you need to continually add greater stimulus to an exercise to keep seeing a training effect. And it makes sense. To get stronger, you need to continue pushing your body.

But the history of popular fitness has instilled a bias here that overload can only be achieved via a handful of training variables, primarily load and repetitions. So once we get to a certain point, we naturally start looking at adding weight to our training. It works great for exercises like pull-ups and dips, but in others, it's a recipe for injury... or at least for poor results.

When it comes to bodyweight exercise - and especially skill-based training - complexity and sophistication of movement are often neglected as pathways for progression. This episode hopes to change that. We'll explore why adding weight works and when it's the wrong choice. We'll also cover examples of sophistication instead.

We know that making the right choices is tough! There's a lot of nuance involved, and this episode will provide the context you need to figure out what'll work best for your goals.

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Everyone starts the new year with a slew of well-intentioned goals. And with goal setting comes questions of how to take the steps to reach them, when you'll hit that mark, and how to know if you're doing the right thing.

In this episode, Andy and Ryan talk about ideals, expectations and reality, and how to honestly and confidently start or continue your fitness journey.

We cover:

• why there is no set path and no optimal rate of progress
• 3 examples of where you might be in your fitness journey 
• how to assess and progress from where you are
• trade-offs you might need to make
• how to set a goal and take the first steps

Learn how to assess where you are and take the first or next step to get where you want to go.

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If you've tried something new even once in your life, you might be familiar with falling flat on your face, possibly literally.

In this episode, Ryan chats with David 'Jacko' Jackson and Tim Stevenson, founders of School of Calisthenics. They talk in-depth about how they developed their philosophy of "redefining your impossible" by exploring your physical potential through body weight training.  

Jacko and Tim share their stories and thoughts on:

• why play might be more the most important thing you can do
• how breakthroughs in your training apply to your life
• how to start working on hand-balancing on your own
• why humour and community are key

If you want insight on how to reframe something that feels out of reach, this is an episode you definitely want to stick in your ear hole.

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We get a lot of questions about Recovery which is not surprising, given how much information there is out there. 

There's no easy way to cut through all the noise since Recovery is and should be subjective, but in this episode, we break down:

• why Recovery is not separate from your training
• how only you can decide what you need
• the importance of tracking your baseline
• common recovery methods and tools
• examples of when to do what

Recovery, like any aspect of your training, cannot be cookie cutter and takes practice. Learn how you can apply recovery methods based on your own needs.

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We've all been there -- schedules and routines change, and we can't fit in our regular workout. Rather than trying to stick to your routine amidst a big project, the holidays, or a busy time, tailor your workouts to better serve you.

In this episode, we talk about:

• changing your mindset when your needs change
• specific adjustments you can make to your training
• how to plan in advance so your workouts help you focus
• examples of how to structure short, effective sessions 

Learn how to use life changes to your advantage; adjust your training to help you focus on what you need to get done.

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Have you ever Googled a topic and been overwhelmed by the sheer amount of products that are supposed to solve your problem? Or underwhelmed by the lack of real answers?

In this episode, Andy chats with Andy Morgan of Rippedbody.com about why helpful information doesn't sell, and how to figure out what to do based on your own needs. 

We cover a variety of simple yet effective guideposts and strategies for working on your physique, including :

• why context matters
• when to use supplements
• how to get results without counting calories
• day-to-day tweaks and easy wins for almost everyone
• solutions for social settings

Whether you are looking to lose weight, get ripped, or create healthier habits, the answers are often simpler than you think.

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DOMS. Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness.

You don't like them, and they don't like you, but if you're training your body at all, you're going to have to learn to live with each other.

There's tons of myths about muscle soreness. Some people think they're the surest sign of a good workout (they're wrong). Others seem to think they indicate overtraining (also way wrong). While getting sore is a stupid thing to shoot for in your workout, they're also nothing to worry about.

We'll teach you how to know if you're too sore, what to do about it, and how to stay productive in your training without getting derailed by sore muscles.

Balance is one of those things most people don't realize they can improve - or even that they might need to improve . . . until they start trying to learn different ways to move. 

The fact is most people don't have a problem with balance so long as they stick to normal activities. But when you're outside your comfort zone, things change. Luckily, balance is very trainable. This episode covers our a simple framework for improving your balance step-by-step, with our favorite drills and techniques.