Kris Robertson is the Head Strength & Conditioning Coach for the Raptors 905 (NBA G-League) and Sport Scientist with the Toronto Argonauts (CFL). He previously served as Head Coach of Strength and Conditioning at Simon Fraser University and is a former professional athlete drafted by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in 2013.

Kris discusses what separates winning teams from talented teams that fall short, including the role of luck, continuity, and teamwork in championship success. He shares insights from the 2017 Grey Cup Champion Argonauts, where Coach Marc Trestman's philosophy of making everyone feel important created a winning culture. The conversation covers the specialist versus generalist problem that creates silos in organizations, why self-awareness is critical for leadership, how understanding your biases changes the way you communicate, and why over-communication prevents team breakdowns. Kris explains why winning can cover up broken systems until it's too late, how to get comfortable with discomfort, and why personal accountability is foundational to success in sports, business, and life.

00:00 - Intro

00:49 - Why Some Teams Win: Talent, System & Luck

04:14 - Making Everyone Feel Important

05:40 - The Silo Problem: Specialist vs. Generalist

10:58 - What Athletes Tell Strength Coaches (That Coaches Never Hear)

13:05 - Why Winning Covers Up Broken Systems

15:32 - Understanding Your Biases to Lead Effectively

19:21 - Applying Self-Awareness to Parenting & Personal Life

21:03 - Over-Communication: The Championship Difference

23:31 - Getting Comfortable Being Uncomfortable

26:57 - Accountability: Doing the Self-Work

Kyle Buchanan is a certified nutritional practitioner who breaks down why gut diversity determines everything from your energy levels to how badly hangovers hit you. He explains the 30-plant-foods-per-week benchmark that creates a healthier microbiome, why most people are digesting protein poorly, and how supporting digestion before meals changes absorption entirely.Kyle reveals why variety beats perfection, how targeted probiotics are advancing beyond generic supplements, and the truth about peptides like BPC-157 and GLP-1s (Ozempic). He discusses which peptides show real promise for tissue repair, which ones are unregulated Wild West territory, and why foundational habits still outperform quick fixes.

FOLLOW TOTUM

• Website: totum.ca

• Listen on Apple: Totum Wellness Podcast

• Listen on Spotify: Totum Wellness Podcast

• Watch on YouTube: Totum Wellness Channel

• Instagram: @totumwellness

FOLLOW KYLE:

• Website: kylebuchanan.ca

• Podcast (feelgoodery): Apple Podcasts | Spotify

• Instagram: @itskyleb

00:00 - Intro03:43 - The 3 Nutritional Must-Haves: Variety, Protein, Digestion15:08 - How to Support Digestion Before, During & After Meals21:22 - Stomach Acid Declines With Age23:12 - The Truth About Probiotics: Personalized vs. Generic28:32 - Prebiotics: The Missing Piece Everyone Ignores30:03 - Peptides Explained: BPC-157, GLP-1s & Growth Hormone34:28 - Ozempic for Weight Loss

Mike Kessel, the CEO of Cleveland Clinic Canada, reveals that we aren't just passengers in our own health journey since 90% of our health after age 60 is determined by lifestyle, not DNA. He advocates for a "50/50" ownership model where individuals use handheld diagnostic technology to monitor their own heart, lungs, and throat to bypass the E.R. and stay ahead of a field where medical knowledge doubles every 73 days. Because chronic stress can subtract 42 years from your life, Mike focuses on closing the 10-year "quality gap" by choosing "fun" over boring routines—a philosophy that took him from a childhood table tennis champion and founder of the Cardiac Smash tournament to a qualifier for the 2026 US Open Pickleball championships.

00:00 - Intro

08:45 - The 90% Rule: Lifestyle vs. Genetics after 60

11:30 - The 10-Year Gap: Healthspan vs. Lifespan

15:40 - Medical Knowledge is Doubling Every 73 Days

18:20 - Fixing High Cholesterol: Data-Driven Life Changes

21:15 - Distributed Healthcare: Moving Beyond Bricks & Mortar

26:00 - Why the Canadian Healthcare System is Aging

31:30 - Public vs. Private: Accessing Cardiology & Sports Med via OHIP

35:00 - Live Demo: The $400 Handheld Diagnostic Device

45:00 - Fun as a Health Metric: Finding Your "Strain"

Lower back pain often stems from a simple mechanical failure: your pelvis and rib cage are out of alignment. While most people focus on "six-pack" abs, true core stability comes from the deepest layers of your anatomy—the transverse abdominis (TVA), the diaphragm, and the pelvic floor.In this session, Scott (a DNS specialist) breaks down why the way you breathe is the foundation of how you move. Whether you are a desk worker struggling with "extension" posture or an elite athlete like Roger Federer looking for a competitive edge, understanding the "Piston Effect" is the key to moving without pain.

00:00 - Intro02:40 - The Core "Lid": Why the Diaphragm and Pelvic Floor matter04:00 - What is the TVA (Transverse Abdominis)?05:22 - The "Extension Compression" trap for athletes and office workers07:50 - Tutorial: How to find your TVA on the floor10:20 - The "Tactile Cue" to engage your deep core13:50 - Motor Learning: Why frequency beats intensity16:25 - Moving like Roger Federer: Efficiency vs. Capacity21:10 - Visualizing the "Piston Effect" for breathing24:50 - How "short" tissues cause back spasms during rotation31:50 - The danger of "iPad Posture" in young athletes35:10 - Scott’s Journey: From chronic pain to movement expert

Is your child on the right path to elite athleticism, or are they on the road to burnout? In this episode, we sit down with Kris Robertson, Head Strength & Conditioning Coach for the Raptors 905 and former CFL All-Canadian. We break down the shocking statistic that 70% of youth athletes drop out by age 13 and reveal the science-backed "roadmap" to keeping them in the game.Kris shares his "Rules of Engagement" for sports parents, why early specialization is often a mistake, and how to spot a toxic coaching environment before it damages your child's mental health.

Tim & Stacy Irvine are back for another season of the Totum Wellness Podcast. In this episode they expose why the old rules of fitness and injury recovery are holding you back—and reveal the new science that unlocks explosive speed, prevents injury, and rewires your body for elite performance at any age. You will discover the secret movement patterns of babies that elite athletes use to dominate, why "R.I.C.E." is the wrong way to treat injuries, and the forgotten training method that keeps you fast, powerful, and "ballistic" well into your 50s and beyond.

00:00 - Intro00:50 - Lessons From Pro Athlete Trainers04:43 - The Secret to Staying "Ballistic"08:36 - The Right Way to Jump & Skip11:21 - The Untrained Skill: Deceleration13:34 - DNS: The "Canister" Core Secret24:45 - Why The R.I.C.E. Protocol Is Wrong25:53 - The New "PEACE & LOVE" Rule35:07 - Vulnerability: The Key to Growth41:14 - Final Thoughts

In this special Season 2 Recap, Tim and Stacy Irvine look back at the most impactful takeaways from the year’s standout episodes. From Olympic mindset shifts and smarter training techniques to DEXA scan results and pre-surgery strategies, they revisit the moments that changed how they think, train, eat—and live.

This episode is packed with practical, real-life lessons you can apply today: better movement, deeper recovery, smarter nutrition, and the importance of listening to your own data. Whether you're chasing performance, balance, or just feeling your best, this recap brings the best of Totum Season 2 into one conversation.

🎯 Topics Include:
🏐 The mental reset every athlete (and parent) needs
🌲 “Rewilding” your life for sustainable happiness
📉 Burnout signs + why you must track recovery
🦴 DEXA scans, hormones, and protein for healthy aging
🏃‍♀️ How to train smarter, move better, and recover faster
💊 The prehab secret from a Blue Jays orthopedic surgeon
🧘‍♂️ The 5-minute breathing hack that dropped cortisol by 50%

✨ Follow Us Online:
📸 Instagram: @totumlifescience
📘 Facebook: Totum Life Science
🔗 Website: totum.ca

00:00 Intro

00:53 Olympic Mindset: “Can You Get the Job Done?”

03:25 Rewilding

05:47 Burnout & Boundaries

07:57 Make Fitness Fun Again

10:28 Agility over Strength

14:08 Why Objective Testing Drives Change

17:36 Hormone Insights & Fixing Low Testosterone

20:00 How Much Protein Should You Really Eat?

23:20 Prehab Before Surgery

28:15 Why This Podcast Exists

30:19 Season 3 Tease & Farewell

Zack Kelly joins the Totum Wellness Podcast for a deep dive into performance, injury prevention, and why metrics like VO2 max and force plate testing aren’t just for elite athletes—they’re for anyone who wants to move better and age well.

From overcoming chronic overtraining to understanding asymmetries and how they affect long-term joint health, this episode is packed with insight for athletes and everyday movers alike. Whether you're trying to improve your vertical jump or just stay upright into your 70s, Zack makes the science accessible and actionable.

🎯 Topics Include:
🧠 What psychophysiology reveals about training and burnout
🦵 The truth about limb imbalances and long-term joint health
📉 Why staying the same is the new getting better
💪 How to actually train in your Zone 2 (and why it matters)
📊 Submax vs. VO2 Max testing—what you really need to know
🛑 The most common mistake in modern fitness: overtraining

✨ Follow Us Online:
📸 Instagram: @totumlifescience
📘 Facebook: Totum Life Science
🔗 Website: totum.ca

00:00 Intro

07:46 Addressing Asymmetries and Longevity in Athletes

22:56 Understanding Zone Two Training

28:00 Practical Tips for Zone Two Training

35:24 Preparing for a VO2 Max Test

40:06 The Role of Force Plate Testing

41:21 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Fitness expert Nikki Fraser returns to the Totum Wellness Podcast for a deep dive into the real science behind strength training. With over 20 years of experience, Nikki breaks down the myths, shares the latest research, and explains why resistance training is crucial for everyone—especially as we age. Tim and Stacy get practical about how to build strength safely, improve power, and train for longevity without the hype or confusion.

🎙️ Topics Include:
🏋️‍♀️ What most people get wrong about strength training
💥 How to build muscle and support heart health
⏱️ The minimum effective dose for busy people
🚶‍♀️ How to train for power (and why it matters after 40)
🧠 The link between movement, aging, and brain function
🌟 Why making workouts fun is the key to staying consistent

✨ Follow Us Online:
📸 Instagram: @totumlifescience
🔗 Website: totum.ca

00:00 Intro

07:25 Guidelines and Recommendations for Strength Training

13:08 Consistency and Progression in Training

22:51 Effective Workout Routines for Beginners and Experienced Individuals

26:24 Training for Muscular Power: Tips and Techniques

33:44 The Benefits of Sprinting and High-Intensity Training

39:04 Finding Fun in Fitness: Tips for Enjoyable Workouts

43:07 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Best-selling author and neuroscience-based wellness coach Catherine Roscoe Barr joins the Totum Wellness Podcast to share her personal journey from burnout to brain health. Catherine gets candid about her mental health, how to rewire your brain through daily rituals, and what it really means to live The Life Delicious. Tim and Stacy dig into her new book Feel Better Now, exploring how simple pleasures, movement, connection, and reflection can dramatically improve your well-being.

🎙️ Topics Include:
🧠 How neuroscience can help you heal from stress and suffering
📕 The 4Rs that rewired Catherine’s brain—and her life
🌿 Why “rewilding” your wellness routine helps you reconnect to yourself
🔄 Habits that hurt vs habits that heal
📱 How to break free from phone addiction and overstimulation
🌤️ How to feel more joy through small, daily moments
📘 Buy Feel Better Now HERE

✨ Follow Us Online:
📸 Instagram: @totumlifescience
📘 Facebook: Totum Life Science
🔗 Website: totum.ca

00:00 Intro07:43 The Power of Mindfulness and Reflection14:08 Embracing Simple Pleasures22:08 The Importance of Connection29:26 Balancing Technology and Mindfulness34:32 Final Thoughts