Coach Em Up Podcast

Check out Ben on socials! @drbenhouse

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Dr. Ben House returns to the internet to drop some hard truths: baseline testosterone does not predict hypertrophy, the TRT industry is largely built on noise, and your environment matters more than your willpower. Tim Riley and Zack Zillner dig into Ben's wild journey — from MCAT prep and Teach for America, to building a volcano compound in Costa Rica, farming through COVID, and working in the NBA — before landing on his new venture, Biomolecular Athlete. In this episode, he dismantles some of the most pervasive myths in the performance world — testosterone optimization, biohacking culture, and the obsession with chasing biological mechanisms over real output.

Ben breaks down why obesity is the number one driver of low testosterone, why androgen receptor sensitivity matters far more than serum testosterone levels, and why women can build comparable relative muscle mass to men despite having a fraction of the hormone. He also shares his evolution from authoritarian coach to 'Sherpa', how Self-Determination Theory explains the gap between knowledge and action, and why the best coaching often means doing less.

Produced by

Q6 Media

https://q6.media

Timestamps:

00:00:00 - Introduction

00:01:41 - How Dr. Ben House Changed Tim's Coaching Career

00:07:00 - Ben's Origin Story: Sports, MCAT & Hating Clinical Medicine

00:10:45 - Teach for America, Austin, and Finding the Fitness World

00:16:19 - Biohacking Skepticism & What Actually Drives Adaptation

00:19:10 - The Costa Rica Volcano Compound & Farming Through COVID

00:30:00 - Memphis Grizzlies Tenure & Leaving the Internet

00:42:25 - Coaching Philosophy Evolution

00:49:22 - Sobriety, Obsession & the Gap Between Knowledge and Action

00:56:50 - Building Ecosystems Over Willpower

01:12:56 - Testosterone & TRT Reality Check

01:21:57 - Obesity, Leptin Resistance & Why Your Testicles Are Inflamed

01:30:42 - Sleep Myths & Why Women Can Match Men's Gains

01:44:41 - Chasing Mechanisms

01:50:35 - Unsolicited Advice

#CoachEmUpPodcast #DrBenHouse #TestosteroneMyths #Hypertrophy #StrengthCoaching #NutritionalScience #BiomolecularAthlete #AndyGalpin #FunctionalMedicine #Podcast

Check out Dylan on socials! @dylan_shannon @_dylanshannon

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Dylan Shannon is back and he's built different. Tim Riley and Zack Zillner chop it up with the PowerJacked creator about his move to Boston, prepping for Apex, and why your perfect program is probably the one you're already sleeping on. Plus, Dylan reveals the WWE actually slid in his DMs — and he said no.

Dylan Shannon went from a part-time strength coach with zero online presence to one of the most engaged creators in the fitness space. In this reunion, Dylan breaks down his training philosophy, why science based lifting is quietly ruining young lifters, and why he finally got serious about fixing his hormones and his relationship with food.

The listener Q&A goes deep: body dysmorphia, TRT, junk volume myths, bench press mastery, content creation strategy, and how to build a training business from the ground up.

Produced by

Q6 Media

https://q6.media

Timestamps:

00:00:00 - Introduction

00:03:46 - Why Dylan Moved to Boston

00:05:05 - Training for Apex Boston & the Fitness Scene

00:08:22 - How One Podcast Episode Changed Dylan's Life

00:11:16 - PowerJacked Program & Chalk Performance

00:15:35 - 10-Year Plans & Why Rigid Goals Kill Momentum

00:20:17 - Peaking for Apex & Mile Strategy

00:26:08 - Binge Eating, Body Dysmorphia & Getting on TRT

00:32:28 - Performance Bulking, 550 lb Squats & High School Beef

00:35:54 - How to Build a Personal Training Business from Scratch

00:39:31 - Midbod Freak Athlete vs. Mr. Olympia Trashlete

00:42:22 - The Truth About Junk Volume

00:46:06 - Top 3 DM Questions Dylan Gets Every Day

00:48:02 - Lifetime Lift Goals & Top 3 Exercises

00:50:51 - How to Build a Freakishly Big Bench Press

00:52:08 - Dylan's Foolproof Content Strategy

00:55:11 - The WWE Slides Into Dylan's DMs

01:00:16 - From Self-Doubt to Self-Belief

01:06:01 - Overrated vs. Underrated in Athletic Performance

01:08:48 - The #1 Piece of Advice for Coaches Who Want to Create Content

#DylanShannon #PowerJacked #CoachEmUpPodcast #StrengthCoach, #FitnessPodcast #AthleteTraining #BenchPress #TRT #ContentCreation

Check out Joe on socials! @pedullaperformance

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Oklahoma University strength coach Joe Pedulla is back on Coach 'Em Up, and he's not holding back. He digs into VBT, identity-based branding, in-season periodization, and why your athletes might be getting slower because of how you're training them. Plus Joe drops some of the most quotable lines in Coach Em Up history.

He opens up about coaching female athletes at OU and how it completely reshaped his character — patience, temperance, the whole deal. He also breaks down why personal brands that win aren't selling information — they're selling identity, feeling, and community. If you coach and you're trying to build something online, this section alone is worth the full episode.

On the training side, Joe goes deep on Velocity-Based Training. He explains the difference between effort and exertion, breaks down minimal voluntary thresholds for squats, bench, deadlifts, and more, and explains exactly why letting your athletes train at high exertion levels converts fast-twitch Type 2X fibers to Type 2A. He also covers his king metrics — Propulsive Net Impulse and Peak Relative Propulsive Power — and why usable strength is the only strength that matters.

Throw in Daily Undulating Periodization for in-season, a critique of program hopping, audience Q&A, and a hilarious urinal story involving Joe Girardi, and we've got a great episode on our hands!

Produced by

Q6 Media

https://q6.media

00:00:00 - Introduction

00:02:30 - Coaching Female Athletes & Life Transitions

00:07:33 - Personal Brands Sell Identity, Not Information

00:12:13 - Time Management, Capacity & Business Systems

00:19:33 - Mentorship & Belief Systems

00:25:44 - Evaluating New Training Methods & Volume Load

00:30:47 - Velocity-Based Training

00:39:03 - Velocity Loss & Fast-Twitch Fiber Conversion

00:43:36 - In-Season Training & Daily Undulating Periodization

00:50:08 - Usable Strength & King Metrics

00:53:10 - Stop Program Hopping

01:00:40 - Q&A: Dictator Mode, Social Media & Elbow Issues

01:04:09 - Pro vs. College Coaching & Building an Online Brand

01:09:02 - Faith, Introspection & Business Foundations

01:11:07 - The Coach's Frame

01:14:15 - What's Next for Joe Pedulla

01:17:36 - Three Things, Rant & Rave

01:24:53 - Resisted Sprints & Submax Training

01:28:12 - Urinal Advice

#CoachEmUp #StrengthCoach #VelocityBasedTraining #JoePadulla #StrengthAndConditioning #AthleticPerformance #SportScience #OnlineCoaching #PodcastForCoaches #Podcast

Check out the boys on socials! @timrileytraining @zack_zillner

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Tim Riley and Zack Zillner take the Coach 'Em Up Podcast live at their second annual conference, fielding real-time audience questions with moderator Tatum Brandt. Topics include building gym culture, online coaching transitions, in-season vs. off-season programming, managing bad training days, and the early mentors who literally changed their lives. Oh, and someone got Rhabdo...

Recorded live at the Coach 'Em Up Conference, this episode is part Q&A, part therapy session, and part cautionary tale about running Pat Davidson's MASS program in August heat. Tim and Zack break down what separates elite strength coaches from general population trainers, why your clients are buying YOU and not your program, and how a single conversation mid-session can flip an athlete's entire week. Tim gets real about a mentor who refused to give up on him in high school while Zack talks about getting thrown into the fire at Kansas under Andrea Hudy.. If you coach, train, or are building something in the fitness space, this one's for you!

Produced by

Q6 Media

https://q6.media

00:00:00 - Introduction

00:02:07 - Best Meals in Austin

00:03:58 - Strength Coaches vs. Gen Pop Trainers

00:10:05 - In-Season vs. Off-Season Training

00:12:50 - Managing Clients on Bad Days

00:19:24 - Growing an Online Training Product

00:22:46 - Building A Gym Culture

00:27:55 - Transitioning from In-Person to Online Coaching

00:32:24 - What Tim and Zack Learned from Each Other

00:35:00 - Humility & Open-Mindedness

00:40:09 - Launching in Underserved Markets

00:44:36 - Rhabdo Horror Stories

00:51:11 - Biggest Coaching Impact

#CoachEmUpPodcast #StrengthCoaching #AthleticPerformance #OnlineCoaching #GymCulture #TimRiley #ZackZillner #FitnessPodcast #StrengthAndConditioning #Podcast #Livepodcast

Check out the gang on socials! @kellylmatthews @Blainemcconnell @alecblenis

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The Coach 'Em Up Podcast is officially in the new Austin studio — and Tim Riley, Kelly Matthews, Blaine McConnell, and Alec Blenis are breaking it in! This Legendary Q&A roundtable hits GLP-1s, bench press programming, hybrid athlete plyometrics, sprinting, mobility training, and the most jaw-dropping athletic feats they've ever witnessed in person, plus plenty of great stories including Blaine's million dollar ice skating horses and Tim's world record sunburn. Stay tuned for major Apex expansion announcements and a sneak peak at THIS gym's grand opening party!

Produced by

Q6 Media

https://q6.media

00:00:00 - Introduction

00:01:34 - THIS Gym Grand Opening

00:06:13 - Are GLP-1s Cheating?

00:16:04 - Mobility & Flexibility Through Strength Training

00:21:27 - Women's Bench Press tips

00:26:08 - Adding Plyometrics & Sprinting to Hybrid Programs

00:36:11 - Coaching Gen Pop Clients to Sprint & Jump Safely

00:42:36 - What Does "Train Like an Athlete" Actually Mean?

00:51:27 - Most Jaw-Dropping Athletic Feats Witnessed in Person

01:01:01 - Sprinters Are Born, Endurance Athletes Are Made

01:03:49 - Overvalued vs. Undervalued Training Concepts

01:12:22 - How to Get Training in as a Coach

01:18:39 - Best & Worst Vacations

01:27:17 - Future Goals & Apex Announcements

#CoachEmUp #PerformanceTraining #StrengthCoaching #GLP1 #HybridAthlete #SprintTraining #Plyometrics #FitnessPodcast #TrainLikeAnAthlete #ApexCompete

Check out Kelly on socials!  @kellylmatthews 

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Tim Riley sits down with his partner and fitness creator Kelly Matthews for a wide-ranging episode covering the influencer economy, public fatphobia, GLP-1 culture, coaching careers, and what it's like living with an unmedicated Tim. Highlights include building a mutant female athlete, Kelly's animal rescues, and an honest breakdown of the hamster wheel that is content creation. They unpack why Gen Z wants to be influencers, Kelly's international travels for Oner Active campaign shoots, disordered eating, and why peptides are overrated. This is a can't miss episode!

Produced by

Q6 Media

https://q6.media

00:00:00 - Introduction

00:02:19 - Kelly's Year in Review

00:07:05 - Why Gen Z Wants to Be Influencers

00:11:17 - Fatphobia, GLP-1s & Rage-Bait Creators

00:17:18 - Clapping Back at Toxic Creators & Parasitic Content

00:28:29 - Training for the Apex Competition

00:33:50 - How to Start a Coaching Career

00:45:33 - Youth Athletes, Living with Tim's ADHD & The Frankenstein Athlete

01:00:44 - The TKO Program, a Sports Tea Podcast & Healing Your Food Relationship

01:23:54 - Kelly's Animal Farm Dreams & Fitness vs. Athleticism

01:33:59 - The Real Mental Toll of Being a Fitness Influencer

01:36:53 - Overrated vs. Underrated, Peptides, & Tattoo Advice

#CoachEmUpPodcast #KellyMatthews #FitnessInfluencer #GLP1 #WomenWhoLift #FatphobiaTalk #FitnessCoaching #ApexCompetition #FitnessPodcast #Eleiko

Check out Josh on socials! @gillamfitness

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Tim Riley sits down with Josh Gillum, a former gymnast, collegiate linebacker, and Master of Dietetics student, to dismantle the biggest myths in sports nutrition. They cover the overblown electrolyte supplement industry, why low-carb diets fail high-intensity athletes, and the brain-saving science of creatine after concussions. Plus, Josh breaks down the viral content strategy behind 660K followers and why embarrassment might be your most underutilized growth tool.

On this episode, Josh explains why gymnastics is the most underrated foundational sport for injury prevention, how sodium-heavy electrolyte packets can wreck your gut and spike your blood pressure, and why the fitness world's obsession with protein is actively sabotaging athletic performance by crowding out carbohydrates.

They also dig into: why processed foods aren't the enemy for high-calorie athletes, the predatory marketing behind pink "female-specific" supplements, carbohydrate timing windows that actually matter, and how Josh built his content empire using a lab coat, a stylus, and a deliberately dumbed-down voice.

Produced by

Q6 Media

https://q6.media

Timestamps:

00:00:00 - Introduction

00:03:09 - Josh's Athletic & Academic Background

00:05:43 - Gymnastics, Football & Injury Prevention

00:09:14 - Food Additive Safety Myths

00:11:09 - Electrolyte Supplements Are Bad

00:18:33 - Sweat Rates, Potassium & Magnesium Deficiencies

00:29:18 - Protein vs. Carbs: What Athletes Actually Need

00:36:29 - Why Carnivore & Keto Fail High-Intensity Athletes

00:43:59 - Strategic Use of Processed Foods for Performance

00:53:32 - Creatine & Concussion Prevention Science

01:15:16 - The Strategy Behind Josh's Viral Content

01:22:55 - Embracing Embarrassment to Grow

01:27:34 - 3 Steps to Upgrade Your Sports Nutrition

01:29:20 - Electrolytes vs. Fiber & Creatine

01:33:46 - Philanthropy in Haiti

01:36:25 - Overrated vs. Underrated Nutrition

01:40:00 - Unsolicited Advice

#CoachEmUpPodcast #GillumFitness #SportsNutrition #CreatineScience #AthleteNutrition #ElectrolyteMyths #PerformanceNutrition #CarbsForAthletes #ConcussionRecovery #Podcast

Check out Zack and Tim on socials! @zack_zillner ⁨@timrileytraining⁩

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Tim Riley and Zack Zillner are back together for a loaded Q&A episode covering creatine, in-season sprint programming, isolation movements, entrepreneurship, and why a hack squat might be the most underrated tool in your gym. Tim also announces his new Austin gym opening June 8th, equipped with a custom Coach Em Up podcast studio! Zack survived his first year in Miami and a full colada on day one.

Tim and Zack go deep on what it actually takes to build athletes, run a business, and not burn out doing both. Topics include how to balance what clients want vs. what they need and the origins of the Coach 'Em Up Podcast itself. They also give a full breakdown of the Coach 'Em Up Conference 2.0 in Austin — live show, free BBQ, and a stacked speaker lineup at the C4 Performance Center. Plus: fitness grifters get called out, training music gets debated, and both coaches share the life advice that actually changed their careers. It's all here.

Produced by

Q6 Media

https://q6.media

00:00:00 - Introduction

00:01:22 - Zack Zillner Returns

00:02:37 - New Gym Opening & Podcast Studio Announcement

00:07:38 - Zack's First Year in Miami & the Colada Story

00:14:10 - Why Athletes Should Take Creatine

00:17:11 - Build-A-Mutant: Best Qualities from Past Guests

00:23:32 - Organizing Training: Strengths vs. Weaknesses

00:26:16 - Isolation Movements & the Hack Squat

00:31:38 - Giving Clients What They Want vs. What They Need

00:37:19 - Coach 'Em Up Conference 2.0 Details

00:41:05 - Five Essential Pieces of Gym Equipment

00:44:04 - Origins of the Coach 'Em Up Podcast

00:57:11 - S&C Programming for Young Coaches

01:02:04 - Entrepreneurship, Sobriety & Life-Changing Advice

01:14:10 - In-Season Sprint Volume & Maturing as a Coach

01:18:50 - Fitness Grifters & Training Music Debate

01:31:21 - Shin Splints, Achilles Recovery & the 6-Day Split

01:49:01 - Career Advice: When to Look for a New Job

#CoachEmUp #StrengthAndConditioning #AthleticPerformance #SportsPodcast #Creatine #GymLife #SNCCoach #Podcast #TrainEmUp #FitnessCoach

Check out Malorie on socials! @malorie_henderlong

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Auburn Women's Soccer S&C Coach Malorie Henderlong joins Tim Riley to break down her entry into the profession, the grind of collegiate strength and conditioning, and the technical side of training field sport athletes. Topics include MAS-based conditioning, GPS data optimization, soccer's fear of the weight room, how she started her own remote coaching business, and her prototypical route to landing an SEC coaching job. She discusses why soccer has historically been scared of the weight room, how she structures training around squat, hinge, push, and pull for undertrained field athletes, and why she prefers the Bronco test and Maximum Aerobic Speed over traditional conditioning benchmarks.

Produced by

Q6 Media

https://q6.media

Timestamps:

00:00:00 - Introduction

00:02:18 - Speaking at the CSCCA Conference

00:04:31 - Authenticity in Content Creation & Social Media

00:06:24 - Getting a Job by Yelling from the Sidelines

00:08:55 - Coaching Acrobatics & Tumbling

00:10:43 - Youth Sports, Competitive Cheer & Parenting

00:13:58 - Austin FC, NC State & the Move to Auburn

00:19:01 - The Power of Mentorship

00:23:35 - The Grind in Collegiate S&C

00:32:38 - Why Soccer Fears the Weight Room

00:42:36 - Starting Higher Power Sports Performance

00:49:50 - Conditioning, MAS & the Bronco Test

00:57:12 - GPS Data, Player Load & Numbers

01:01:45 - Olympic Lifting & Training Goalkeepers

01:05:50 - Why Coaches Shouldn't Play Pickup Sports

01:23:40 - How to Get Hired in Collegiate S&C

01:31:02 - Rant & Rave

01:37:34 - Overrated vs. Underrated

01:41:50 - Unsolicited Solicited Advice

#CoachEmUpPodcast #StrengthAndConditioning #SoccerTraining #CollegiateStrengthCoach #MalorieHenderlong #AuburnSoccer #GPSData #SportPerformance #HigherPowerSportsPerformance #Podcast

Check out Alec on socials! @alecblenis

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On Today's episode of the Coach Em Up Podcast, Tim Riley links up with Alec Blenis — now a full-time Texas resident — for a duel Q&A you won't want to miss!

Alec breaks down his mission to run a sub-2:30 marathon while gaining lean muscle — naturally — and why he's spending over five figures on drug testing to prove it's possible. Tim pulls back the curtain on TRT, sobriety, and what it actually means to shift you coaching philosophy. We also roast optimization culture, talk running form, weird lifts, and set some very public training goals for each other.

There are two types of people on this planet: subscribers and non-subscribers. Don't be the latter.

00:00:00 - Introduction

00:02:57 - Alec's move to Austin

00:07:04 - Biohacking, Sleep & Cat Parasites

00:12:18 - Sub-2:30 Marathon Goal

00:20:19 - Kangaroo Achilles vs. Gorilla Shoulders

00:23:23 - Balancing Lifting and Running

00:31:01 - The Truth About TRT

00:41:48 - The Problem With Optimization Culture

00:49:59 - Coaching philosophy shifts

00:54:48 - Running Form & Technical Models

01:01:00 - Sobriety & Obsession

01:14:04 - Three Simple Rules for Success

01:19:34 - Tim's Apex Prep & Mutual Goals

01:34:10 - Alec's Unorthodox Lifts

01:47:08 - Sponsor Shoutouts

#CoachEmUpPodcast #MarathonTraining #TRTandFitness #SobrietyAndAthletics #StrengthAndEndurance #OptimizationCulture #NaturalAthletes #RunningCoach #FitnessPodcast #ApexCompetition