In this episode, I talk about why “inspiration is for amateurs,” and why discipline, motivation, and willpower are some of the most overrated concepts in the fitness world.

We’re surrounded by grind-culture blowhards bragging about 4 a.m. wake-ups and superhuman discipline, but the real secret to becoming the person you want to be—on the track, in the gym, or in any area of life—is much simpler and far more sustainable. I break down the three things that actually work if you want to avoid distractions, stop chasing motivation, and finally build momentum.

I share how flying under the radar, focusing on the entire process (not just the instant gratification), and wiring habits so deeply they feel automatic can change everything. You’ll hear how my own morning mobility routine—now as familiar as brushing my teeth—became a daily anchor, why elite athletes don’t rely on willpower, and how tiny, enjoyable, repeatable actions beat the no-pain-no-gain nonsense every time.

If you’ve ever felt like you’re “falling short,” this episode shows you how to reframe everything: stop trying to psych yourself up and start creating systems that make doing the right thing natural, rewarding, and something you’ll actually keep doing.

 

LINKS:

• Brad Kearns.com
• BradNutrition.com
• B.rad Superdrink – Hydrates 28% Faster than Water—Creatine-Charged Hydration for Next-Level Power, Focus, and Recovery
• B.rad Whey Protein Superfuel - The Best Protein on The Planet!
• Brad’s Shopping Page
• BornToWalkBook.com
• B.rad Podcast – All Episodes
• Peluva Five-Toe Minimalist Shoes

 

We appreciate all feedback, and questions for Q&A shows, emailed to [email protected]. If you have a moment, please share an episode you like with a quick text message, or leave a review on your podcast app. Thank you!

Check out each of these companies because they are absolutely awesome or they wouldn’t occupy this revered space. Seriously, I won’t promote anything that I don't absolutely love and use in daily life:

• B.rad Nutrition: Premium quality, all-natural supplements for peak performance, recovery, and longevity; including the world's highest quality whey protein!

• Peluva: Comfortable, functional, stylish five-toe minimalist shoe to reawaken optimal foot function. Use code BRADPODCAST for 15% off!

• Ketone-IQ Save 30% off your first subscription order & receive a free six-pack of Ketone-IQ!

• Get Stride: Advanced DNA, methylation profile, microbiome & blood at-home testing. Hit your stride the right way, with cutting-edge technology and customized programming. Save 10% with the code BRAD.

• Mito Red Light: Photobiomodulation light panels to enhance cellular energy production, improve recovery, and optimize circadian rhythm. Use code BRAD for 5% discount!

• Online educational courses: Numerous great offerings for an immersive home-study educational experience

• Primal Fitness Expert Certification: The most comprehensive online course on all aspects of traditional fitness programming and a total immersion fitness lifestyle. Save 25% on tuition with code BRAD!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, I talk about four simple but powerful ways to be more active in daily life.

Experts now agree that your overall level of movement—not your formal workouts—is the single most important factor for long-term health. You can’t just hit your morning spin class and then sit around the rest of the day. In fact, research on the “Active Couch Potato Syndrome” shows that even devoted exercisers can suffer from the diseases of sedentary living if the rest of their life is spent in a chair. Katy Bowman calls this the “lazy athlete mentality,” where you give yourself a hall pass for inactivity because you already worked out.

I share four specific ways to break that pattern: start a morning exercise routine to set the tone for the day, sprinkle in brief micro workouts whenever you can, find more opportunities to walk (yes, even laps around the block count), and finally, add properly structured workouts to maintain strength and muscle mass.

These habits not only boost energy and focus, but form the foundation for longevity, vitality, and graceful aging.

 

TIMESTAMPS:

The single most important obligation for human health is to just increase all forms of general everyday activity than it is to adhere to a devoted fitness regimen. [01:01]

Burn more energy and get out of this energy toxicity situation. [04:10]

Starting your day with an exercise routine has many benefits. Do something toward movement as soon as you wake up every day. [06:12]

Micro workouts are described as just a brief interlude from your busy life.  It can be something explosive and powerful like taking the stairs instead of elevator or even squats at your work cubicle. [08:50]

Walk more in general every day. [11:36]

Of course structured workouts are wonderful and contribute to a long, healthy, active, energetic life. [12:57]

 

LINKS:

• Brad Kearns.com
• BradNutrition.com
• B.rad Superdrink – Hydrates 28% Faster than Water—Creatine-Charged Hydration for Next-Level Power, Focus, and Recovery
• B.rad Whey Protein Superfuel - The Best Protein on The Planet!
• Brad’s Shopping Page
• BornToWalkBook.com
• B.rad Podcast – All Episodes
• Peluva Five-Toe Minimalist Shoes

• Active Couch Potato Syndrome

 

We appreciate all feedback, and questions for Q&A shows, emailed to [email protected]. If you have a moment, please share an episode you like with a quick text message, or leave a review on your podcast app. Thank you!

Check out each of these companies because they are absolutely awesome or they wouldn’t occupy this revered space. Seriously, I won’t promote anything that I don't absolutely love and use in daily life:

• B.rad Nutrition: Premium quality, all-natural supplements for peak performance, recovery, and longevity; including the world's highest quality whey protein!

• Peluva: Comfortable, functional, stylish five-toe minimalist shoe to reawaken optimal foot function. Use code BRADPODCAST for 15% off!

• Ketone-IQ Save 30% off your first subscription order & receive a free six-pack of Ketone-IQ!

• Get Stride: Advanced DNA, methylation profile, microbiome & blood at-home testing. Hit your stride the right way, with cutting-edge technology and customized programming. Save 10% with the code BRAD.

• Mito Red Light: Photobiomodulation light panels to enhance cellular energy production, improve recovery, and optimize circadian rhythm. Use code BRAD for 5% discount!

• Online educational courses: Numerous great offerings for an immersive home-study educational experience

• Primal Fitness Expert Certification: The most comprehensive online course on all aspects of traditional fitness programming and a total immersion fitness lifestyle. Save 25% on tuition with code BRAD!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, I dive deep into protein supplements—how to avoid crappy products loaded with questionable ingredients, and how to read labels like a pro.

We break down how whey protein is made, why it’s the most potent and bioavailable protein powder, and why it’s far superior to plant-based sources. I also tackle the myths around protein timing and protein bars: you don’t need protein on the go—the goal is adequate protein intake averaged over time, about one gram per pound of ideal body weight. Protein is the foundation for muscle, organ health, and overall performance, while carbs and fats serve mainly as energy.

I compare B.rad Whey Protein Isolate + Creatine Superfuel to a competitor product loaded with processed additives, artificial sweeteners, and flavor chemicals. I explain the difference between whey protein concentrate, isolate, milk protein isolate, casein, and egg white protein—covering digestibility, nutrient density, and potential digestive issues. We also discuss why a few grams of natural sugar in protein is better than chemically intense sweeteners for performance and recovery.

Finally, I share my approach to sourcing animal-based proteins—pasture-raised eggs, ground beef, and affordable grass-fed steaks—and why combining these with a clean, high-quality whey protein powder gives you the building blocks for health, muscle, and longevity.

If you want to navigate the supplement world safely, skip the junk, and prioritize truly effective protein, this episode is for you.

 

TIMESTAMPS:

We are looking at the good and bad of supplementation. [01:10]

We don't need protein on the go. We need to average an adequate amount of protein intake over the long term. [02:18]

Over the years, we have learned that one gram of protein per pound of ideal body weight is recommended. [05:20]

When you think about the protein bars that are on the market, realize that there is a large amount of processing involved in making them. [09:50]

Learn to read labels and know what they mean. [15:22]

Sunflower lecithin is a natural fat used as an emulsifier in protein powders. [16:25]

Compare other protein powders that have been processed. [17:18] 

What is whey and how is it made? [19:34]

The term milk protein isolate lets you know you can consume it even if you have lactose problems. It depends on how lactose intolerant you are. [33:04]

The egg yolk is one of the most nutritious sources of energy on the planet. [35:03]

There is no reason to consume a product loaded with chemicals when you can get some product using natural ingredients. [39:35]

A small amount of sugar is burned in the cell for energy during your active life. [40:36]

Commodity dark chocolate that you find in popular brands doesn't compare in quality with the high-quality artisan bean to bar chocolate. [46:40]

Wine is the only product in the United States that is not required to put all the added ingredients on the label. [49:11]

If you're gonna put something into your body that's in supplemental concentrated form, make sure you navigate to the cleanest, purest product. [53:19]

 

LINKS:

• Brad Kearns.com
• BradNutrition.com
• B.rad Superdrink – Hydrates 28% Faster than Water—Creatine-Charged Hydration for Next-Level Power, Focus, and Recovery
• B.rad Whey Protein Superfuel - The Best Protein on The Planet!
• Brad’s Shopping Page
• BornToWalkBook.com˜
• B.rad Podcast – All Episodes
• Peluva Five-Toe Minimalist Shoes
• The Framingham Study
• Askinosie Chocolate
• Shawn Askinosie podcast
• Todd White, Dry Farm Wine podcast
• DryFarmWines.com

 

We appreciate all feedback, and questions for Q&A shows, emailed to [email protected]. If you have a moment, please share an episode you like with a quick text message, or leave a review on your podcast app. Thank you!

Check out each of these companies because they are absolutely awesome or they wouldn’t occupy this revered space. Seriously, I won’t promote anything that I don't absolutely love and use in daily life:

• B.rad Nutrition: Premium quality, all-natural supplements for peak performance, recovery, and longevity; including the world's highest quality whey protein!

• Peluva: Comfortable, functional, stylish five-toe minimalist shoe to reawaken optimal foot function. Use code BRADPODCAST for 15% off!

• Ketone-IQ Save 30% off your first subscription order & receive a free six-pack of Ketone-IQ!

• Get Stride: Advanced DNA, methylation profile, microbiome & blood at-home testing. Hit your stride the right way, with cutting-edge technology and customized programming. Save 10% with the code BRAD.

• Mito Red Light: Photobiomodulation light panels to enhance cellular energy production, improve recovery, and optimize circadian rhythm. Use code BRAD for 5% discount!

• Online educational courses: Numerous great offerings for an immersive home-study educational experience

• Primal Fitness Expert Certification: The most comprehensive online course on all aspects of traditional fitness programming and a total immersion fitness lifestyle. Save 25% on tuition with code BRAD!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, I call out some dangerous and misguided fitness advice floating around on social media—like a post from a PhD in exercise physiology suggesting that everyone should go run for 45 minutes in 100-degree heat to boost their VO₂ max.

Sure, the science on heat training is interesting and real, but context matters. For elite athletes training for world championships, carefully managed heat exposure can make sense. For the other 99.9% of people, it’s a fast track to burnout, breakdown, or even the ER.

I break down the difference between training stress that builds fitness versus stress that destroys it, explain how to recognize the signs of overtraining, and share why fatigue is feedback, not weakness. I also revisit my critique of Layne Norton’s “push through it no matter what” philosophy and contrast that with what smart athletes actually do—monitor recovery, track readiness, and adjust daily.

To wrap up, I share lessons from my own mistakes, insights from coach Cynthia Monteleone, and why true recovery days sometimes mean actually resting.

 

TIMESTAMPS:

Brad takes issue with the recommendation that people exercise in 100 degree heat. [01:10]

If you are talking about competitive athletes, rather than the general population, that would be different. [03:30]

Running is too stressful for the vast majority of participants. [06:37]

The main two reasons for poor performance and workouts are one, over training and two, de-training. [10:27]

You are literally training the body to get slower, weaker and less efficient with poor technique when you train and push your body through signs of poor movement patterns. Fatigue is feedback, not weakness.  [12:10]

If you don't feel like working out one day, that is a signal from the control center, your brain. [17:57]

There is a huge distinction between endurance athletes where they always have that obligation to keep that aerobic system going with low intensity recovery days versus a true recovery day for a high intensity power athlete which entails sitting around and resting. [21:41]

 

LINKS:

• Brad Kearns.com
• BradNutrition.com
• B.rad Superdrink – Hydrates 28% Faster than Water—Creatine-Charged Hydration for Next-Level Power, Focus, and Recovery
• B.rad Whey Protein Superfuel - The Best Protein on The Planet!
• Brad’s Shopping Page
• BornToWalkBook.com
• B.rad Podcast – All Episodes
• Peluva Five-Toe Minimalist Shoes

 

We appreciate all feedback, and questions for Q&A shows, emailed to [email protected]. If you have a moment, please share an episode you like with a quick text message, or leave a review on your podcast app. Thank you!

Check out each of these companies because they are absolutely awesome or they wouldn’t occupy this revered space. Seriously, I won’t promote anything that I don't absolutely love and use in daily life:

• B.rad Nutrition: Premium quality, all-natural supplements for peak performance, recovery, and longevity; including the world's highest quality whey protein!

• Peluva: Comfortable, functional, stylish five-toe minimalist shoe to reawaken optimal foot function. Use code BRADPODCAST for 15% off!

• Ketone-IQ Save 30% off your first subscription order & receive a free six-pack of Ketone-IQ!

• Get Stride: Advanced DNA, methylation profile, microbiome & blood at-home testing. Hit your stride the right way, with cutting-edge technology and customized programming. Save 10% with the code BRAD.

• Mito Red Light: Photobiomodulation light panels to enhance cellular energy production, improve recovery, and optimize circadian rhythm. Use code BRAD for 5% discount!

• Online educational courses: Numerous great offerings for an immersive home-study educational experience

• Primal Fitness Expert Certification: The most comprehensive online course on all aspects of traditional fitness programming and a total immersion fitness lifestyle. Save 25% on tuition with code BRAD!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, I revisit one of the most infamous press conferences in sports history—Allen Iverson’s legendary “practice” rant from 2002—and explain why I think he was actually right all along.

Iverson’s words have lived on as a punchline for decades, but when you look closer, you realize he was speaking some deep truth about recovery, workload, and the impossible demands of a grueling NBA season.

I share the backstory behind that moment, the tension with his coach Larry Brown, and how the whole thing became cultural shorthand for “bad attitude”—when in reality, Iverson was way ahead of his time in understanding how fragile the human body is under chronic stress.

You’ll also hear some fun clips (including the Ted Lasso parody and a brilliant remix), and I’ll make the case for why Iverson deserves recognition not just as one of the most electrifying players ever, but as a pioneer in the conversation around athlete recovery and self-preservation.

 

TIMESTAMPS:

Brad is taking a look at Alllen Iverson's "practice" rant. [00:51

Iverson was right in talking about the imperative for players to save themselves in order to survive a grueling NBA season. [04:16]

Is it a disgrace to the team and the NBA to stick up for your own well-being? [07:34]

Coach Phil Jackson created unity on the team by ensuring that they were together turned against him for some enfraction. [17:51]

Iverson took a hit so that today's modern athlete would not have to endure this decades of abuse at the hands of old school coaching. [18:55]

 

LINKS:

• Brad Kearns.com
• BradNutrition.com
• B.rad Superdrink – Hydrates 28% Faster than Water—Creatine-Charged Hydration for Next-Level Power, Focus, and Recovery
• B.rad Whey Protein Superfuel - The Best Protein on The Planet!
• Brad’s Shopping Page
• BornToWalkBook.com
• B.rad Podcast – All Episodes
• Peluva Five-Toe Minimalist Shoes

 

We appreciate all feedback, and questions for Q&A shows, emailed to [email protected]. If you have a moment, please share an episode you like with a quick text message, or leave a review on your podcast app. Thank you!

Check out each of these companies because they are absolutely awesome or they wouldn’t occupy this revered space. Seriously, I won’t promote anything that I don't absolutely love and use in daily life:

• B.rad Nutrition: Premium quality, all-natural supplements for peak performance, recovery, and longevity; including the world's highest quality whey protein!

• Peluva: Comfortable, functional, stylish five-toe minimalist shoe to reawaken optimal foot function. Use code BRADPODCAST for 15% off!

• Ketone-IQ Save 30% off your first subscription order & receive a free six-pack of Ketone-IQ!

• Get Stride: Advanced DNA, methylation profile, microbiome & blood at-home testing. Hit your stride the right way, with cutting-edge technology and customized programming. Save 10% with the code BRAD.

• Mito Red Light: Photobiomodulation light panels to enhance cellular energy production, improve recovery, and optimize circadian rhythm. Use code BRAD for 5% discount!

• Online educational courses: Numerous great offerings for an immersive home-study educational experience

• Primal Fitness Expert Certification: The most comprehensive online course on all aspects of traditional fitness programming and a total immersion fitness lifestyle. Save 25% on tuition with code BRAD!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I take you through the incredible story of Hicham El Guerrouj, the Moroccan middle-distance legend who was virtually unbeatable for nearly four years, only to face heartbreaking defeats at the Atlanta Olympics.

I walk through the agony of those losses, the silver medal at 1500 meters, and the mental and physical toll of carrying the expectations of millions while chasing perfection. We get into how he used that disappointment to fuel one of the most remarkable comebacks in track history, leading up to the 2004 Athens Olympics where he finally won the gold—and not just in the 1500, but also the 5,000 meters, a feat not accomplished in 80 years.

I break down the races, the strategies, and the legendary final laps where El Guerrouj “floored the gas pedal” and ran splits that would have qualified in an Olympic 800 meters. I also reflect on what his story taught me about dealing with setbacks, staying focused, and turning misfortune into motivation, drawing parallels to challenges we all face in our own training and lives.

Along the way, we touch on the evolution of running technology, the rise of super spikes, and why El Guerrouj’s records still stand as some of the most impressive in the sport.

 

TIMESTAMPS:

This video of El Guerrouj shows the most genetically gifted, most disciplined and best trained athlete of all sport. [01:06]

The insights about discipline focus, dealing with adversity and creating a lifestyle of total dedication to peak performance can be tremendously inspiring and life changing. [04:14]

How do you set a world record that holds for 27 years? [09:00]

Genetically gifted athletes have the 'gift' but they need the old school focus, total dedication and monastic lifestyle. [13:24]

The mile run is 79% contribution from the aerobic system and the rest is anaerobic. [18:14]

In the modern more digital world, we get to know the athletes better.
El Guerrouj lead a more monastic life when training. [20:08]

El Guerrouj has amazing genetic gifts. He was of very light body weight. [23:08]

The proper running form is landing over your midfoot with a balanced center of gravity. [24:09]

Research has shown that there's a direct correlation with an adequate or good or great VO2 max with longevity. [27:30]

It helps to be tall like Usain Bolt. Increased ankle bending during a moment allows him to utilize the spring-ilike mechanism of the calves for increased power as he pushes off. [32:49]

What's the best form for you? It's figuring out what works for you and your own natural athleticism and your own physical particulars, your level of flexibility in your trunk, your shoulders, everything goes into the equation. [37:39]

Do you know why all the track and field races are run in counterclockwise manner? It's because the natural human bio rhythms have a counterclockwise nature to them. [39:39]

Genes do not determine your destiny. [41:30]

El Guerrouj 's competitive intensity and focus make his champion mindset.  [45:59]

Highschooler Alan Webb had the chance to run against El Guerrouj. Webb broke the record. [50:34]

El Guerrouj's career has had some disappointments and setbacks. [54:13]

Try to release the attachment of your self-esteem to the outcome. Let go of the "Why me?" mentality. [01:15:01]

What about the shoes?  How do they make a difference? [[01:27:30]

Quote from El Guerrouj:
"The values of life are work, patience, defeat, learning from defeat, perseverance and regularity, and all that I learned with sport and above all from my Olympic journey." [01:31:44]

 

LINKS:

• Brad Kearns.com
• BradNutrition.com
• B.rad Superdrink – Hydrates 28% Faster than Water—Creatine-Charged Hydration for Next-Level Power, Focus, and Recovery
• B.rad Whey Protein Superfuel - The Best Protein on The Planet!
• Brad’s Shopping Page
• BornToWalkBook.com
• B.rad Podcast – All Episodes
• Peluva Five-Toe Minimalist Shoes
• Hicham El Guerrouj Instagram
• Workout Wednesday
• Usain Bolt's stride mechanics

 

We appreciate all feedback, and questions for Q&A shows, emailed to [email protected]. If you have a moment, please share an episode you like with a quick text message, or leave a review on your podcast app. Thank you!

Check out each of these companies because they are absolutely awesome or they wouldn’t occupy this revered space. Seriously, I won’t promote anything that I don't absolutely love and use in daily life:

• B.rad Nutrition: Premium quality, all-natural supplements for peak performance, recovery, and longevity; including the world's highest quality whey protein!

• Peluva: Comfortable, functional, stylish five-toe minimalist shoe to reawaken optimal foot function. Use code BRADPODCAST for 15% off!

• Ketone-IQ Save 30% off your first subscription order & receive a free six-pack of Ketone-IQ!

• Get Stride: Advanced DNA, methylation profile, microbiome & blood at-home testing. Hit your stride the right way, with cutting-edge technology and customized programming. Save 10% with the code BRAD.

• Mito Red Light: Photobiomodulation light panels to enhance cellular energy production, improve recovery, and optimize circadian rhythm. Use code BRAD for 5% discount!

• Online educational courses: Numerous great offerings for an immersive home-study educational experience

• Primal Fitness Expert Certification: The most comprehensive online course on all aspects of traditional fitness programming and a total immersion fitness lifestyle. Save 25% on tuition with code BRAD!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, I talk about a couple of articles I saw recently about running in the heat—about heat acclimation and endurance training—that honestly kind of rubbed me the wrong way.

So alert runners: we need to have a talk about this. I start by reading an excerpt from one of these popular running websites and unpacking some of the flawed assumptions behind this kind of messaging.

You’ll hear me break down why the obsession with suffering—grinding through extreme conditions, chasing bigger mileage, and pushing your body to the limit—has become so normalized in endurance culture, and how that mindset can quietly lead to overtraining, burnout, and hormone dysfunction.

I also share a more sensible approach to building heat tolerance and aerobic fitness that honors health, balance, and long-term consistency.

 

TIMESTAMPS:

Brad talks about some of the "running in heat" articles he has read, and points out some disagreements he has with those articles. [01:06]

The compelling argument that for the vast majority of recreational runners, running is a very bad idea. [04:00]

The popular modality of high intensity interval training, by and large is conducted in an ill-advised manner in workouts that last too long and are significantly too stressful for the vast majority of participants. [06:05]

If you stop sweating, you know you are close to heat stroke. [15:19]

There's no justification to go out there and stick it to yourself in heat preparation. [22:09]

Even though Brad is talking about the danger of racing in the heat, he understands the need to do it. [24:03]

If you're running in the heat, but you're totally oblivious to how hot you're getting, that can be a recipe for disaster. [33:35]

Some of the world's best runners do not workout at top speed. [36:50]

If you insist on performing the workout in a fatigue state, you are literally training your body to run slower because the central nervous system is protecting you. [45:57]

 

LINKS:

• Brad Kearns.com
• BradNutrition.com
• B.rad Superdrink – Hydrates 28% Faster than Water—Creatine-Charged Hydration for Next-Level Power, Focus, and Recovery
• B.rad Whey Protein Superfuel - The Best Protein on The Planet!
• Brad’s Shopping Page
• BornToWalkBook.com
• B.rad Podcast – All Episodes
• Peluva Five-Toe Minimalist Shoes
• Primal Blueprint Fitness Pyramid
• Podcast with Hutchinson
• Podcast with Shelby Houlihan
• Shelby Houlihan Workout Wednesday
• Jay Feldman.com

 

We appreciate all feedback, and questions for Q&A shows, emailed to [email protected]. If you have a moment, please share an episode you like with a quick text message, or leave a review on your podcast app. Thank you!

Check out each of these companies because they are absolutely awesome or they wouldn’t occupy this revered space. Seriously, I won’t promote anything that I don't absolutely love and use in daily life:

• B.rad Nutrition: Premium quality, all-natural supplements for peak performance, recovery, and longevity; including the world's highest quality whey protein!

• Peluva: Comfortable, functional, stylish five-toe minimalist shoe to reawaken optimal foot function. Use code BRADPODCAST for 15% off!

• Ketone-IQ Save 30% off your first subscription order & receive a free six-pack of Ketone-IQ!

• Get Stride: Advanced DNA, methylation profile, microbiome & blood at-home testing. Hit your stride the right way, with cutting-edge technology and customized programming. Save 10% with the code BRAD.

• Mito Red Light: Photobiomodulation light panels to enhance cellular energy production, improve recovery, and optimize circadian rhythm. Use code BRAD for 5% discount!

• Online educational courses: Numerous great offerings for an immersive home-study educational experience

• Primal Fitness Expert Certification: The most comprehensive online course on all aspects of traditional fitness programming and a total immersion fitness lifestyle. Save 25% on tuition with code BRAD!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I’m so excited to welcome Sean Brosnan to the B.rad podcast!

Sean is the author of Beyond Fast: How a Renegade Coach and His Unlikely High School Team Revolutionized Distance Running, written with Chris Lear and Andrew Grefe. And yes, it’s a book about running—about high school workouts, races, and championships—but it’s also so much more than that.

In this episode, you’ll hear Sean break down how he coached some of the fastest high school distance runners in America, including strategies for teaching athletes to embrace the challenge of intense training, embrace discomfort, and push past perceived limits. He shares the thought process behind skipping traditional state meets to chase world-class opportunities, why mindset and belief can transform performance, and how he cultivates those breakthrough moments that turn talented athletes into record-breakers.

We also dive into the realities of post-collegiate professional running: the struggles of sponsorship, building a pro training group, and creating a sustainable system that lets elite athletes thrive without being weighed down by financial stress. Along the way, Sean reveals his personal coaching philosophy, the influence of legendary mentors, and why connecting with athletes on a human level is often the difference between good and extraordinary performance.

Whether you’re a runner, coach, or simply interested in peak performance and shattering self-limiting beliefs, this conversation is packed with insights, stories, and strategies that will inspire you to think bigger and train smarter.

Sean Brosnan is the author of Beyond Fast: How a Renegade Coach and His Unlikely High School Team Revolutionized Distance Running, written with Chris Lear and Andrew Grefe. A two-time national high school coach of the year, he turned Newbury Park High School into a national powerhouse with multiple state and national championships. A native of Long Island, he began coaching as a volunteer at Queens University of Charlotte and now lives in Big Bear, California, where he coaches a professional running team. Follow him on Instagram @RealSeanBrosnan.

 

TIMESTAMPS:

Sean says it's essential to stop placing limitations on ourselves. [03:05]

What happened when Newbury Park headed out to Alabama for the national championship? [07:20]

Newbury had multiple national championships, both boys and girls and JV. [11:46]

On a team, you can be competitive, but you can also be happy for the others' successes. [17:48]

Starting as a new coach in 2016, Sean brought the team to winning the State meet and on to Nationals in two years time. [22:41]

A month training camp seemed to be what really worked. [24:03]

How do you get better without running harder and breaking down, like the programs that grind these kids out? [26:33]

There was a huge shift in the training schedule during COVID times. [33:18]

There were people who criticized the program at Newbury Park. [34:59]

There are many different ways to get to the final result that you want. [40:07]

Why aren't there more programs like Sean's at Newbury Park? [44:51]

Focus on the personal development of the athlete. [55:55]

Everyone can do better. [59:07]

What happens when Sean moves on to his next coaching position? [01:06:09]

Nico Young 's progression has been sensational. [01:15:43]

Sean can be contacted @realseanbrosnan on social media. [01:18:56]

 

LINKS:

• Brad Kearns.com
• BradNutrition.com
• B.rad Superdrink – Hydrates 28% Faster than Water—Creatine-Charged Hydration for Next-Level Power, Focus, and Recovery
• B.rad Whey Protein Superfuel - The Best Protein on The Planet!
• Brad’s Shopping Page
• BornToWalkBook.com
• B.rad Podcast – All Episodes
• Peluva Five-Toe Minimalist Shoes
• Beyond Fast
• Instagram @realseanbrosnan

 

We appreciate all feedback, and questions for Q&A shows, emailed to [email protected]. If you have a moment, please share an episode you like with a quick text message, or leave a review on your podcast app. Thank you!

Check out each of these companies because they are absolutely awesome or they wouldn’t occupy this revered space. Seriously, I won’t promote anything that I don't absolutely love and use in daily life:

• B.rad Nutrition: Premium quality, all-natural supplements for peak performance, recovery, and longevity; including the world's highest quality whey protein!

• Peluva: Comfortable, functional, stylish five-toe minimalist shoe to reawaken optimal foot function. Use code BRADPODCAST for 15% off!

• Ketone-IQ Save 30% off your first subscription order & receive a free six-pack of Ketone-IQ!

• Get Stride: Advanced DNA, methylation profile, microbiome & blood at-home testing. Hit your stride the right way, with cutting-edge technology and customized programming. Save 10% with the code BRAD.

• Mito Red Light: Photobiomodulation light panels to enhance cellular energy production, improve recovery, and optimize circadian rhythm. Use code BRAD for 5% discount!

• Online educational courses: Numerous great offerings for an immersive home-study educational experience

• Primal Fitness Expert Certification: The most comprehensive online course on all aspects of traditional fitness programming and a total immersion fitness lifestyle. Save 25% on tuition with code BRAD!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this show, I share 40 mind-blowing assertions to recalibrate modern fitness philosophy, inspired by content in the book Born to Walk, written by me and Mark Sisson.

Walking is universally health-boosting, delivers excellent aerobic conditioning, stabilizes energy, mood, and appetite, and carries near zero overuse injury risk. In contrast, endurance running—even at a comfortable pace—is too physically stressful for the vast majority of participants, promotes breakdown, burnout, and chronic injury, and is most likely bad for your health when done in the typical modern manner.

You’ll hear why walking is a genetic expectation for health, why most endurance exercise should be conducted at or below your fat max heart rate, and how chronic cardio promotes stress hormone overproduction, suppressed immune function, and visceral fat storage. I also explain why elevated cushioned shoes enable poor running technique, drive injuries, and why recreational endurance running has only been possible in modern times because of them.

Key points from this episode:

• Walking is universally health-boosting and delivers excellent aerobic conditioning with minimal risk
• Running is too strenuous and stressful for most participants; walking should be the baseline
• Fat max heart rate (180 minus age) is the true measure for energizing, fat-burning cardio
• Chronic cardio promotes overuse injury, stress hormone overproduction, suppressed immunity, and visceral fat
• Elevated cushioned shoes enable poor running technique and are the driver of chronic injury rates
• The most celebrated endurance events (marathon, Ironman) are antithetical to health and fueled by marketing hype
• Humans never ran for recreation until the modern running boom; ancestral movement was built on walking, strength, sprints, and play

Learn more at BornToWalkBook.com, where you can also download the free PDF resource with all 40 assertions and more tools for building lifelong health.

 

TIMESTAMPS:

For the vast majority of participants, running, even at a comfortable pace, is too physically stressful. [00:50]

The vast majority of your training should be at a medium or perhaps brisk walk if you're really fit, with a minimal amount of anything faster because it elevates the heart rate too high and it's too strenuous. [04:34]

Fat max heart rate represents the intensity at which you burn the maximum number of fat calories per minute. [06:27]

If you cannot proceed faster than 14 minutes per mile while you're at your fat max heart rate, you should be walking, not running. [08:32]

Maintaining muscle mass strength needs to be added to your bicycling, jogging, stiar climbing. Those simply aren't enough. [13:44]

It's not about the calories burned, it's about the movement. [16:50]

Running is catabolic. It breaks your body down and requires recovery while walking is anabolic, which means it sends the genetic signaling for efficient metabolic immune cognitive and endocrine function [24:54]

Running on elevated shoes enables poor running technique. [30:25]

When you're running barefoot, impact forces are similar whether the surface is hard or soft. [35:15]

Chronic cardio can suppress immune function, promote chronic inflammation, compromise gut health and damage mitochondria. [37:50]

The monotony of repetitive impact trauma and mental and physical suffering associated with steady state cardio can easily breed an obsessive addictive mentality. [43:08]

Don't overdo the search for that endorphin rush. [46:12]

Any homo sapiens genetic gifts for endurance are buried today under excess body fat, insufficient daily baseline activity, weak musculature and dysfunctional feet caused by a lifetime in shoes [53:50]

Recreational runnung is a new thing. It has come about only by elevated cushioned shoes. [59:56]

 

LINKS:

• Brad Kearns.com
• BradNutrition.com
• B.rad Superdrink – Hydrates 28% Faster than Water—Creatine-Charged Hydration for Next-Level Power, Focus, and Recovery
• B.rad Whey Protein Superfuel - The Best Protein on The Planet!
• Brad’s Shopping Page
• BornToWalkBook.com
• B.rad Podcast – All Episodes
• Peluva Five-Toe Minimalist Shoes
• Brad Kearns Cardio 2.0 Workout
• The Primal Blueprint
• Peluva YouTube

 

We appreciate all feedback, and questions for Q&A shows, emailed to [email protected]. If you have a moment, please share an episode you like with a quick text message, or leave a review on your podcast app. Thank you!

Check out each of these companies because they are absolutely awesome or they wouldn’t occupy this revered space. Seriously, I won’t promote anything that I don't absolutely love and use in daily life:

• B.rad Nutrition: Premium quality, all-natural supplements for peak performance, recovery, and longevity; including the world's highest quality whey protein!

• Peluva: Comfortable, functional, stylish five-toe minimalist shoe to reawaken optimal foot function. Use code BRADPODCAST for 15% off!

• Ketone-IQ Save 30% off your first subscription order & receive a free six-pack of Ketone-IQ!

• Get Stride: Advanced DNA, methylation profile, microbiome & blood at-home testing. Hit your stride the right way, with cutting-edge technology and customized programming. Save 10% with the code BRAD.

• Mito Red Light: Photobiomodulation light panels to enhance cellular energy production, improve recovery, and optimize circadian rhythm. Use code BRAD for 5% discount!

• Online educational courses: Numerous great offerings for an immersive home-study educational experience

• Primal Fitness Expert Certification: The most comprehensive online course on all aspects of traditional fitness programming and a total immersion fitness lifestyle. Save 25% on tuition with code BRAD!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The foremost health authority, the contrarian, and voice of reason is spouting this level of misinformation, so I think it deserves the acronym: A-Y-F-K-M.

Dr. Layne Norton, internet health influencer and self-titled Truth Seeker and debunker, has delivered the single worst piece of fitness advice imaginable. There is no more potentially destructive message to convey besides telling people to push through fatigue, crappy workouts, and poor movement patterns. So inspired by the Debunker himself, I'm going after you.

Layne Norton has a PhD in nutritional sciences, a background as a champion powerlifter and bodybuilder, and is known for debunking fitness misinformation and pseudoscience. But recently, he posted one of his many deadlift clips with the message that training is like investing in the stock market. He even detailed a week of “moving crappy,” “moving really crappy,” and being “happy” about grinding it out anyway. 

Here’s what you will learn from this episode:

• Why pushing through fatigue and poor form is a recipe for injury, burnout, and attrition
• The flaws with the dated no pain, no gain mentality that simply won’t die 
• Exercise physiology insights: ATP, lactate, glycolysis, and aerobic energy systems 
• Why the anaerobic system requires extensive rest and recovery, not grinding through bad workouts 
• Technical failure versus pushing to failure, and why form matters most 
• Interesting science-based insights on the power of performing theatrics before a peak performance effort and why lighter weight and excellent form are the real win 
• Deadlifting dangers, proper technique, and why novices should get expert guidance

Finally, you will hear about what you should do when experiencing symptoms of suboptimal recovery and the value of applying an intuitive approach—especially when it comes to times that you “just don’t feel like it” and what that feeling can signify (hint: it has to do with your emotions and your central nervous system).

 

TIMESTAMPS:

Dr. Layne Nortron is known for debunking some of the science that is out there telling us what is good to eat. [01:03]

Brad confronts one of Layne's posts about training and recovery.  Layne treats training like investing. [04:39]

Elites manage their energy very carefully every single day, week, month of training. [10:02]

ATP, the source for immediate explosive efforts lasting from zero to seven seconds, becomes completely exhausted after seven seconds [14:33]

Working through crappy form and feeling horrible during your warmup is in direct opposition to how the anaerobic system develops. [20:59]

Doug McGuff has come up with the Big Five Workout strategy, which you do only once a week that keeps you strong. [31:47]

If you attempt to work through crappy form and low scores on the readiness-to-train scale, you are training the central nervous system to fire less explosively and teaching your brain to be able to left ledds weight. [35:38]

Pavel Tsatsouline explains why he doesn't see the point of training to muscular failure. [38:37]

Six sets of three is the same as three sets of six, but you get less tired. [40:45]

Brad critiques Layne's analogy of exercising is like the stock market. [43:56]

Performing theatrics before a peak performance effort actually does help prime the centtral nervous system for peak performance. [45:41]

You want to preserve a straight and elongated spine with eveything you do in the gym. [50:06]

Deadlifting is a random exercise and potentially dangerous. If you're novice, get that trusted expert for one-on-one instruction before you even try. [58:19]

Beware of internet blather from influencers. [01:01:21]

Always take what your body gives you each day and nothing more. [01:02:06]

 

LINKS:

• Brad Kearns.com
• BradNutrition.com
• B.rad Superdrink – Hydrates 28% Faster than Water—Creatine-Charged Hydration for Next-Level Power, Focus, and Recovery
• B.rad Whey Protein Superfuel - The Best Protein on The Planet!
• Brad’s Shopping Page
• BornToWalkBook.com
• B.rad Podcast – All Episodes
• Peluva Five-Toe Minimalist Shoes
• Mike Scannell Podcast
• The Complete Guide to Running
• Shelby Houlihan Podcast
• Body by Science
• Big Five Workout
• Podcast with Doug McGuff
• Pavel Tsatsouline

 

We appreciate all feedback, and questions for Q&A shows, emailed to [email protected]. If you have a moment, please share an episode you like with a quick text message, or leave a review on your podcast app. Thank you!

Check out each of these companies because they are absolutely awesome or they wouldn’t occupy this revered space. Seriously, I won’t promote anything that I don't absolutely love and use in daily life:

• B.rad Nutrition: Premium quality, all-natural supplements for peak performance, recovery, and longevity; including the world's highest quality whey protein!

• Peluva: Comfortable, functional, stylish five-toe minimalist shoe to reawaken optimal foot function. Use code BRADPODCAST for 15% off!

• Ketone-IQ Save 30% off your first subscription order & receive a free six-pack of Ketone-IQ!

• Get Stride: Advanced DNA, methylation profile, microbiome & blood at-home testing. Hit your stride the right way, with cutting-edge technology and customized programming. Save 10% with the code BRAD.

• Mito Red Light: Photobiomodulation light panels to enhance cellular energy production, improve recovery, and optimize circadian rhythm. Use code BRAD for 5% discount!

• Online educational courses: Numerous great offerings for an immersive home-study educational experience

• Primal Fitness Expert Certification: The most comprehensive online course on all aspects of traditional fitness programming and a total immersion fitness lifestyle. Save 25% on tuition with code BRAD!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.