Three Phase Podcast

Episode Description

This week, Canada announced nearly $1 billion in new investment into sport.

But before we spend more money, we need to ask a bigger question:

Are we actually developing athletes the right way?

In this episode, I sit down with Nsuani Baffoe, coach and owner of Ferris 360, to challenge some of the biggest assumptions surrounding youth sport and athletic development.

We discuss why some of the world’s most successful sporting nations encourage kids to play multiple sports, the risks of early specialization, what long-term athletic development really looks like, and how parents and coaches can better support young athletes—not just in becoming better competitors, but healthier, more resilient people.

Whether you’re a parent, coach, athlete, or simply passionate about sport, this conversation will challenge the way you think about developing human performance.

In This Episode

• Canada’s new investment in sport and what it means
• The case against early specialization
• Why multi-sport athletes often outperform specialists
• Lessons from Norway’s youth sport model
• Long-term athlete development
• The role parents play in creating lifelong athletes
• Building resilient, adaptable performers

Podcast Sponsors

WHOOP

WHOOP has become one of my most valuable tools for understanding recovery, sleep, strain, and readiness. If you’re serious about optimizing your health and performance, I highly recommend checking it out.

Get a free WHOOP and one month free:
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ATP Labs

Research-driven supplements designed to support health, recovery, and performance.

Shop ATP Labs:
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3PHASE10

BIOptimizers

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3PHASE10

Kala Red Light

Premium red light therapy designed to support recovery, wellness, and performance.

Learn More:
https://kalaredlight.com/?ref=superfiliate-JOELALEUNE

Trainerize

The coaching platform we use at Three Phase Fitness to deliver programs, habits, accountability, and results.

Learn More:
https://www.trainerize.com/?pscd=getstarted.trainerize.com&ps_partner_key=am9lbGFsZXVuZTgxODc

Connect With Three Phase Fitness

Website
https://threephasefitness.ca

Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/joelaleune

Free Newsletter & Resources
https://subscribepage.io/T0OM2W

Enjoying The Podcast?

If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to follow the show and leave a 5-star review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

Your reviews help more coaches, parents, and athletes discover the podcast, allow us to continue bringing on incredible guests, and support our mission of helping people improve their health, performance, and quality of life.

Thank you for listening and for being part of The Three Phase Podcast community.

Support the show

www.threephasefitness.ca

Matt Wallden: Why You’re Not Broken, You’re Overloaded

In this episode of The Three Phase Podcast, Joe LaLeune sits down with Matt Wallden, one of the most respected educators and practitioners in osteopathy, rehabilitation, performance, and holistic health.

Matt has spent more than 25 years helping athletes, coaches, therapists, and everyday people understand the deeper causes of pain, injury, and performance limitations. As a long-time CHEK Faculty member, clinician, educator, and consultant, his work challenges many of the assumptions commonly made in rehabilitation and performance training.

Together, Joe and Matt explore why many injuries are not actually caused by the tissue that hurts, why recurring hamstring injuries continue to plague athletes despite modern rehabilitation approaches, how physiological load impacts performance and recovery, and why assessment remains the foundation of effective coaching and treatment.

Whether you’re a coach, therapist, athlete, or simply someone interested in understanding the body at a deeper level, this conversation will challenge the way you think about health, performance, pain, and recovery.

In This Episode

• Why “If you’re not assessing, you’re guessing” is more relevant than ever
• The Totem Pole Model and identifying the true driver of dysfunction
• Why hamstring injuries are often misunderstood
• The relationship between pain, injury, and tissue damage
• Why imaging findings don’t always correlate with symptoms
• Physiological load and the hidden stressors affecting recovery
• Lifestyle factors that influence injury risk and healing
• Lessons from elite sport and decades of clinical practice
• How to think more holistically about health and performance

Connect With Matt Wallden

Website:
 https://mattwallden.com

Email:
 [email protected]

FC2O Podcast:
 Search “FC2O Podcast” on your favourite podcast platform.

Podcast Sponsors

WHOOP

WHOOP has become one of my most valuable tools for understanding recovery, sleep, strain, and readiness. If you’re serious about optimizing your health and performance, I highly recommend checking it out.

Get a free WHOOP and one month free:
 https://join.whoop.com/B4700B4C

ATP Labs

Research-driven supplements designed to support health, recovery, and performance.

Shop ATP Labs:
 https://ca.atplab.com/?rfsn=5516408.4e46bc&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=5516408.4e46bc

Use code:
 3PHASE10

BIOptimizers

Support digestion, nutrient absorption, recovery, and overall health.

Shop BIOptimizers:
 https://bioptimizers.com/?rfsn=7803633.05c1e2&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=7803633.05c1e2

Use code:
 3PHASE10

Kala Red Light

Premium red light therapy designed to support recovery, wellness, and performance.

Learn More:
 https://kalaredlight.com/?ref=superfiliate-JOELALEUNE

Trainerize

The coaching platform we use at Three Phase Fitness to deliver programs, habits, accountability, and results.

Learn More:
 https://www.trainerize.com/?pscd=getstarted.trainerize.com&ps_partner_key=am9lbGFsZXVuZTgxODc

Connect With Three Phase Fitness

Website:
 https://threephasefitness.ca

Instagram:
 https://www.instagram.com/threephasefitness

Free Newsletter & Resources:
 https://subscribepage.io/T0OM2W

Enjoying The Podcast?

If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to subscribe, follow the show, and leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

Those reviews make a huge difference. They help more people discover the podcast, allow us to continue bringing on incredible guests, and support the mission of helping people improve their health, performance, and quality of life.

Thank you for listening and for being part of The Three Phase Podcast community.

Support the show

www.threephasefitness.ca

This episode with AJ Zeglen went way deeper than strength and conditioning.

AJ is the founder of Invictus Performance and has spent years working with hockey players and high-performing athletes. He’s now also working as a psychotherapist, and this conversation explored the overlap between physical performance, mental resilience, confidence, communication, and identity.

We talked about why elite athletes struggle with confidence more than people think, why so many coaches misunderstand “mental toughness,” and how unresolved stress eventually shows up somewhere — physically, mentally, or emotionally.

One of the biggest themes throughout the episode was the importance of relationships. AJ explained how research in psychotherapy shows that the strongest predictor of positive outcomes isn’t the technique or strategy being used — it’s the quality of the relationship itself. That led into a really interesting discussion about coaching, leadership, communication, and why body language and trust matter so much in high-performance environments.

We also got into:

• Why Norway’s athlete development model is getting attention
• The danger of outcome-based identity
• How athletes get stuck in negative feedback loops
• Practical mental reset tools used by high performers
• Why resilience is built through progressive exposure to challenge
• How coaches can better support athletes beyond performance

What stood out to me most was how many of these ideas apply outside of sport too. Leadership, pressure, confidence, emotional regulation, communication — this stuff shows up everywhere.

Connect with AJ:

Instagram: @ajzeglen
Website: Invictus Performance
LinkedIn: AJ Zeglen LinkedIn
Email: [email protected]

Podcast:
 Three Phase Podcast

Sponsors

WHOOP - For better insight and data driven decision making
Get a free WHOOP and one month free when you join through the link above.

BiOptimizers - For high quality supplements
Use code 3PHASE10 for a discount.

Trainerize - For coaches who want to elevate their delivery

ATP Labs - For high performers who want brands they can trust

Kala Red Light - If you are looking for better recovery

Support the show

www.threephasefitness.ca

What does it actually mean to be a shaman in the modern world?

In this episode of the Three Phase Podcast, I sit down with Angie Chek — certified nutritionist, biologist, and CHEK Institute faculty member — to explore a side of health and healing that most people feel… but don’t fully understand.

We get into shamanism, soul loss, soul retrieval, past lives, and how unresolved experiences — whether from this life or beyond — can continue to influence your physical, mental, and emotional state.

Angie breaks down how healing isn’t just about what you can measure. It’s about what’s happening underneath — in your energy, your environment, and your relationship with yourself.

We also dive into:

• What soul loss actually looks like in real life
• How trauma, stress, and identity shape your health
• The role of environment and biogeometry in healing
• Why some people never fully recover — even when they’re doing everything “right”
• How your perception of death changes when you experience this work directly

This is a deeper conversation — but an important one.

Even if you don’t agree with everything, it will challenge how you think about health, performance, and what it means to actually heal.

Sponsors

This episode is brought to you by:

WHOOP

Track your recovery, sleep, and daily strain with real data.

👉 Get a free WHOOP and one month free when you join with my link: https://join.whoop.com/B71A4703

BiOptimizers – MassZymes

Improve digestion and actually absorb the nutrients you’re eating.

👉 https://bioptimizers.com

Use code 3phase10

Kala Red Light

Support recovery, reduce inflammation, and improve performance.

👉 https://kalaredlight.com/JOELALEUNE

ATP Labs

High-quality supplements designed for performance and health.

👉 https://ca.atplab.com/?rfsn=5516408.4e46bc&utm_source=refersion&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=5516408.4e46bc

Use code 3phase10

Trainerize

The platform I use to deliver coaching and programs.

👉 https://www.trainerize.me/profile/threephasefitness/Joe.LaLeune/

Show Notes & References

Angie Chek

• Website: https://angiesworld.com
• CHEK Institute Faculty Page: https://chekinstitute.com/faculty-presenters/

CHEK Institute

• https://chekinstitute.com

The Way of the Shaman – Michael Harner

• https://www.amazon.com/Way-Shaman-Michael-Harner/dp/0062503731

Biology of Belief – Bruce Lipton

• https://www.amazon.com/Biology-Belief-Unleashing-Consciousness-Matter/dp/1401923127

How to Eat, Move and Be Healthy – Paul Chek

• https://paulchek.com/product/how-to-eat-move-and-be-healthy/

Biogeometry (Dr. Ibrahim Karim / Biogeometry Official)

• https://www.biogeometry.ca
• https://www.biogeometry.com

CHEK Institute Podcast Episodes featuring Angie Chek

• https://chekinstitute.com/blog/podcast-episodes/episode-286-angie-chek-soul-loss-and-recovery/
• https://chekinstitute.com/blog/podcast-episodes/episode-257-salicrow-and-angie-chek-death-and-beyond/

Topics discussed:

• Shamanism and energy healing
• Soul loss and soul retrieval
• Past life regression
• Biogeometry and environmental health
• Emotional trauma and physical symptoms
• Death, afterlife, and perception

If you enjoyed this episode, share it with someone who’s ready to think differently.

And if you haven’t already — leave a 5-star review. It helps grow the show more than you think.

Support the show

www.threephasefitness.ca

We’re surrounded by more data than ever, but that doesn’t mean we’re making better decisions.

In this episode, I sit down with Charlotte Sobolewski — a former high-level endurance athlete and now working in AI, governance, and strategy — to break down what actually drives performance when pressure, fatigue, and uncertainty are all in play.

This conversation isn’t about tools. It’s about judgment.

We get into what data can tell you, what it can’t, and why the ability to make decisions under pressure is still a human skill that can’t be outsourced. Charlotte shares how she approached preparation at an elite level, how that translates into her work in AI, and where people are starting to rely too heavily on systems instead of thinking for themselves.

If you’re trying to perform at a high level — in sport, business, or life — this episode will challenge how you think about data, pressure, and responsibility.

Connect with Charlotte Sobolewski:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlotte-sobolewski?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app

Sponsors

WHOOP

Get a free WHOOP and one month free when you join with my link: https://join.whoop.com/B71A4703

ATP Labs

https://ca.atplab.com/?rfsn=5516408.4e46bc&utm_source=refersion&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=5516408.4e46bc

Code: 3phase10

Trainerize

https://www.trainerize.me/profile/threephasefitness/Joe.LaLeune/

Kala Redlight

https://kalaredlight.com/JOELALEUNE

BiOptimizers

https://bioptimizers.com/

Code: 3phase10

If you enjoyed the episode, share it with someone who would benefit from it and leave a 5-star review — it helps more people find the show.

Support the show

www.threephasefitness.ca

Most athletes believe that if they train harder, the results will come. But training is only the signal for the body to improve. The real progress happens during recovery, and that process depends heavily on whether the body has the fuel it needs to rebuild.

In this episode, Joe LaLeune breaks down one of the most common performance problems he sees with athletes at every level: under-fueling their training. Drawing from sports nutrition research, lessons from legendary strength coach Charles Poliquin, and real coaching experience, Joe explains how energy availability, glycogen restoration, and protein intake influence recovery, strength gains, and long-term performance.

If you’ve ever felt like you’re training hard but not seeing the results you expect, this episode will help you understand what might actually be missing.

Podcast Sponsors

WHOOP – A wearable performance system that tracks recovery, sleep, strain, and HRV to help athletes train smarter.

https://join.whoop.com/threephase

ATP Labs – Evidence-based supplements designed to support performance, recovery, and long-term health.

https://ca.atplab.com

Code: 3phase10

Trainerize – The coaching platform Joe uses to deliver structured training programs and online coaching.

https://www.trainerize.me/profile/threephasefitness/Joe.LaLeune/

Kala Red Light – Red light therapy systems designed to support recovery, cellular health, and performance.

https://kalaredlight.com/JOELALEUNE

BiOptimizers – Digestive and metabolic health supplements that help your body absorb and utilize nutrients more effectively.

https://bioptimizers.com

Code: 3Phase10

Support the show

www.threephasefitness.ca

College recruiting has become loud, expensive, and emotional.

In this episode of the Three Phase Podcast, Joe LaLeune sits down with Dennis Joyce — better known as Laxdad — to break down what families consistently get wrong about college lacrosse recruiting… and what actually matters.

This isn’t a hype conversation.

It’s a real discussion about fit over logos, development over panic, and making decisions that still make sense four years from now.

Whether you’re navigating lacrosse, hockey, football, soccer — or simply making high-pressure life decisions — the principles in this episode apply.

Inside this conversation:

• The biggest mistakes families make with early commitments
• Why most showcase money is wasted
• How to interpret real recruiting interest versus noise
• Why system fit matters more than prestige
• The role of coach honesty
• And why patience may be the most underrated advantage in recruiting

If you value clarity over chaos, this episode will give you a smarter framework.

Connect with Dennis Joyce (Laxdad)

Website: https://laxdad.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laxdad

Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/Laxdad

Podcast Sponsors

This episode is brought to you by:

WHOOP

Track sleep, strain, and recovery with real data.

Get a free WHOOP + one month free:

https://join.whoop.com/B71A4703

Kala Redlight

Red light therapy for recovery, sleep, and performance.

https://kalaredlight.com/JOELALEUNE

BiOptimizers

Digestive and performance support trusted by elite athletes.

Use code 3phase10

https://bioptimizers.com/?rfsn=7803633.05

ATP Labs

Clinically dosed, high-quality supplementation.

Use code 3phase10

https://ca.atplab.com/?rfsn=5516408.4e46bc&utm_source=refersion&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=5516408.4e46bc

Trainerize

Train with Joe and Three Phase Fitness online.

Use code Podcast20

https://www.trainerize.me/profile/threephasefitness/Joe.LaLeune/

If this episode helped you think differently about recruiting — share it with someone who needs to hear it.

And if you’re enjoying the podcast, leaving a five-star review helps us reach more athletes, parents, and high-performers.

See you on the next episode.

Support the show

www.threephasefitness.ca

We train our bodies with reps, progressive stress, and structure — but expect our minds to handle pressure without the same preparation.

In this episode of the Three Phase Podcast, Joe sits down with Annie Berezowsky of Birch Grove Wellness to explore what it actually means to train the mind like a muscle.

They discuss emotional reps, distress tolerance, nervous system capacity, and mental flexibility — and how these skills determine whether you stay steady or crack under pressure.

This is a grounded, practical conversation for high performers, athletes, professionals, and anyone who wants resilience that actually holds up in real life.

Connect with Annie

Website: https://birchgrovewellness.ca

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anastasia_berezowsky

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anastasia-berezowsky-88b811a3

Email: [email protected]

Episode Sponsors & Discounts

BiOptimizers

10% off High-quality digestive and performance supplements.

Use code 3phase10

https://bioptimizers.com

🇨🇦 www.bioptimizers.ca 

ATP Labs

10% off Practitioner-grade supplements trusted by high performers.

Use code 3PHASE10

https://atplabs.com

Trainerize

20% off Coaching and programming software used inside Three Phase Fitness.

Use code Podcast20

https://www.trainerize.me/profile/threephasefitness/Joe.LaLeune/

WHOOP

Track recovery, strain, and sleep.

Get a free WHOOP and one month free:

https://join.whoop.com/B71A4703

Kala Red Light

15% off Premium red light therapy for recovery, performance, and cellular health.

https://kalaredlight.com/JOELALEUNE

No discount code required.

Mental Health Support Resources

If you or someone you know is struggling and needs immediate support, confidential help is available:

Canada

Talk Suicide Canada – Call or Text 1-833-456-4566

https://talksuicide.ca

United States

Call or Text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline)

https://988lifeline.org

If you are outside Canada or the U.S., please contact your local health services or emergency number for support.

If you found value in this episode, share it with someone who trains hard but lives under pressure — and make sure you’re subscribed so you don’t miss the next one.

Support the show

www.threephasefitness.ca

Every Olympic year, injuries seem to show up at the worst possible time.

Athletes who have trained intelligently for years, supported by world-class coaches and medical teams, suddenly break down right when performance is supposed to peak. This episode explores why that pattern exists — not from a place of blame or criticism, but from an honest look at how training cycles behave under pressure.

In this solo episode, Joe unpacks why Olympic years place unique demands on the body, how accumulated stress and recovery debt quietly build over long timelines, and why injuries often appear late in the cycle rather than during the heaviest training phases. The conversation separates unavoidable, catastrophic injuries from breakdown-style injuries that emerge through load density, disrupted recovery, and compressed timelines.

Using real Olympic-year scenarios without naming or blaming, Joe connects what happens at the highest level of sport to lessons that apply to coaches, athletes, and anyone navigating high-pressure seasons in training, work, or life.

This episode covers:

• Why injury risk changes during Olympic years
• How pressure, travel, and recovery debt interact with training load
• The difference between accumulated injuries and unavoidable sport-related injuries
• What Olympic cycles reveal about peaking and long-term planning
• How the same principles show up during work deadlines, busy seasons, and compressed timelines
• What to watch for as the Winter Olympic events unfold

This isn’t an episode about doing less. It’s about understanding how stress accumulates, why margin matters, and how to protect recovery when performance actually counts.

Episode Sponsors

Three Phase 

If you’re looking for structure, accountability, and intelligently designed training, you can access my coaching programs through Trainerize.

👉 https://www.trainerize.me/profile/threephasefitness/Joe.LaLeune/

Use code Podcast20 at checkout.

BIOptimizers

High-quality digestive enzymes, magnesium, gut health, and performance supplements I personally use and trust.

Use code 3PHASE10 for 10% off

👉 https://bioptimizers.com

👉 https://bioptimizers.ca (Canada)

ATP Labs

Clean, pharmaceutical-grade supplements focused on performance, recovery, and long-term health.

Use code 3PHASE10 for 10% off

👉 https://atplab.com

WHOOP

WHOOP is a wearable that helps track recovery, sleep, strain, and readiness so you can make better decisions about training and rest.

Get a free WHOOP and one month free when you join using my link:

👉 https://join.whoop.com/B71A4703

Support the show

www.threephasefitness.ca

What if the reason you’re not getting better isn’t a lack of effort — but hidden stressors no one is looking for?

In this episode, Joe sits down with Carl Weston, founder of Raven Wellness and CHEK Institute faculty member, for a deep, grounded conversation on hidden health drivers like mold exposure, fungal overgrowth, parasites, and layered physiological stress.

Carl shares why so many high performers, athletes, and wellness-focused individuals feel stuck despite eating well, training consistently, and doing “all the right things.” We explore how environmental and biological load can quietly disrupt the nervous system, gut health, hormones, energy, and recovery — often without showing up clearly on standard labs.

This episode isn’t about fear or extremes. It’s about clarity, context, and intelligent sequencing — understanding what the body is communicating and how to rebuild real capacity instead of chasing symptoms.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why chronic symptoms persist even when labs look “normal”
• Mould exposure and why it’s more common — and more impactful — than most realize
• Parasites and fungal overgrowth: misunderstood, under-discussed, and often missed
• How hidden stressors affect training tolerance, recovery, and performance
• Why pushing harder can sometimes make things worse
• Carl’s approach to assessment, testing, and prioritizing what to address first
• What real recovery and resilience actually look like

If you’ve ever felt like you’re doing everything right but still not moving forward, this conversation will help you zoom out, reassess, and think differently about health and performance.

Episode Sponsors & Discounts

Three Phase Fitness

Structured, intelligent training built around capacity, strength, and performance — not burnout.

20% off all programs with code PODCAST20

👉Three Phase Program Link

BIOptimizers

High-quality digestive enzymes, magnesium, gut health, and performance supplements Joe personally uses and trusts.

10% off with code 3PHASE10

In Canada?

www.bioptimizers.ca

👉Bioptimizers Link

ATP Labs

Clean, pharmaceutical-grade supplements focused on performance, recovery, and long-term health.

10% off with code 3PHASE10

👉 ATP Labs Link 

Trainerize

The platform Joe uses to deliver all Three Phase Fitness coaching and training programs.

👉Trainerize Link

Whoop

A performance wearable Joe uses to track recovery, sleep, strain, and readiness — so training and lifestyle decisions are made with real data.

Get a FREE WHOOP and your first month free when you join using the link below:

👉 Whoop Link 

Connect with Carl Weston & Raven Wellness

• Website: https://www.ravenwellness.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ravenwellness
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carl-weston-7a953b13
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ravenwellnessinc

Support the show

www.threephasefitness.ca