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Connecting with the top minds in strength to share stories, insights and experiences to help the world get stronger everyday!I'm Michael Kurkowski, strength coach, Kettlebell Instructor and everyday strength seeker for over 13 years. The world of strength is riddled with so much information and marketing that it can be downright impossible to know what is best for you. From reading, studying, and practicing over the years, I've found how impactful being strong is to everything we do in our l ...
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Welcome to the Strength Connection! This was one of the most insightful and interesting conversations about communication I’ve had on the show. Dr. Sara Erdner is Certified Mental Performance Consultant (CPMC), and PhD in Sports Psychology and Motor behavior, and the Author of Dear Coach: What I wish I could have told you. Dr. Erdner asked athlet…
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Ep 285: An Invincible Mindset w/ Howard Falco
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Welcome to the Strength Connection! Howard Falco is a spiritual teacher, mental strength coach, and the author of I AM: The Power of Discovering Who You Really Are and Time in a Bottle: Mastering the Experience of Life. Howard teaches next-level mindfulness to individuals, and college, Olympic, and professional athletes and coaches in almost every …
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Ep 284: Breaking through Addiction w/ Zara Gemilyan
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Welcome to the Strength Connection! Zara Gemilyan, co-founder of West Valley Detox and Celebrated Consulting, and Mrs. California Globe and Mrs. Armenia Globe joins me on the show. Coming from an addiction driving relationship, her time in pageantry where she began telling her story, and creating a customized facility to help those recovering from …
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Ep 283: Creating Massive Clarity in Your Vision w/ Carrie Campbell
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Welcome to the Strength Connection! Truly one of the most insightful, passionate and powerful people I’ve ever met, Carrie Campbell is back on the podcast. A 25+ year coach and clinical counselor, Carrie is one of the premier minds in the mindset performance space, and she has been on a mission in her program Her-dentity over the past year to “leav…
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Ep 282 Aleks Salkin: The Insider's Guide to Kettlebell Complexes
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Welcome to the Strength Connection! One of my favorite people comes back on the show to talk strength and Kettlebell complexes. Aleks Salkin has been one of the premier coaches in hardstyle strength for years, and has been a guest on the Strength Connection numerous times. In this new episode, we dive into Aleks’ most recent book, The Kick-Ass Insi…
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Welcome to the Strength Connection! Brian Hite, Ph.D., is "The High-Stakes Performance Whisperer," blending over 30 years as a professional stuntman with advanced expertise in performance psychology. With a Ph.D. in Organizational Psychology and a Master’s in Sport Psychology, Brian helps leaders, athletes, first responders, and creatives see throu…
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Ep 280 Jeremy Strawn: Confident vs. Comfortable
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Welcome to the Strength Connection! This was truly one of the most enjoyable conversations. Jeremy Strawn is a fantastic coach from Ralston Creek Crossfit, and tremendously insightful in connecting physical and mental performance. His breakdown of confident vs. comfortable was one I hadn’t heard before, and left me thinking quite a bit. So many gre…
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Ep 279 Kimberly Kesting: Change Your Story, Change Your Life
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Welcome to the Strength Connection Podcast! Kimberly Kesting is a Mindset Performance Coach, and co-host of Get Enlifted. Her experience in personal transformation, eliminating self-doubt and storywork is truly inspiring, and she shares all the details of her experience in changing her body and mind, the early days of coaching, to specifically help…
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Ep 278 Eric Fasciani: Build Unstoppable Resilience
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Welcome to the Strength Connection! How things evolve throughout life when aiming up in your physical and mental strength was the major focus in this great conversation with Eric Fasciani. Eric is the owner/founder of Crossfit Souhegan, and Level 3 Enlifted Mindset coach, recently celebrating 10 years of operation at CFS. From early struggles and l…
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Ep 277 Laken Summerville: Creating your Strongest Story
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Welcome to the Strength Connection! Laken Summerville is a mindset performance specialist at Greenlight Personal Training and Rejuvenating Health in Ashburn. From her experience as a top tier Crossfit Athlete and coaching high performers, her insights on changing your internal story, and specific practices to enhance your mental performance is trul…
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Ep 276 Jason Turner: The Truth about Addiction Recovery
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Welcome to the Strength Connection! The work Jason Turner is doing is not just insightful, but incredibly important. Jason is the founder of E-Motion Wellness, a business that is revolutionizing the approach to mental health and addiction recovery. Listening to his story, and his dedication to challenging traditional norms, pioneering new approache…
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Ep 275 Brad Kearns: Peak Performance with Passion
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Welcome to the Strength Connection! Brad Kearns, 58, is a New York Times bestselling author, Guinness World Record holder, #1 USA-ranked Masters age 55-59 track&field high jumper in 2020, and former national champion and #3 world-ranked professional triathlete. He has written twenty books on diet, health, peak performance, and ancestral living, and…
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Ep 274 Zack Henderson: Lift-A-Palooza 2025
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Welcome to The Strength Connection! In the 274th episode, I’m joined by Zack Henderson, Coach and Owner of East Nashville Kettlebell. Zack is a StrongFirst Elite Instructor who is hosting the 6th Annual Lift-A-Palooza with Dan John, Ed Coen and Tracey Cooks. A deep dive into strength, connecting physical and mental resilience, the evolution of coac…
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Welcome to the Strength Connection Podcast. One of my favorite people to talk mindset and story with kicks off the New Year with me. Mark England, founder of Enlifted Mindset Coaching joins me on the show again, talking about personal growth, soft-language, tools to create a powerful story, and the healing spiral. One of the most fun, and interesti…
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Welcome to the Strength Connection! Another incredible year comes to a close, and in this episode, I dove into some of the biggest lessons, insights, and stories from the incredible guests in 2024. To Join "The Strength Connection" mailing list, and get 5 Minute Mindset, click the link below: https://www.mystrengthconnection.com/signup…
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Ep 271 Dr. Richard Ulm: Achieving Super Sinister
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Welcome to the Strength Connection Podcast! What an absolute blast and wealth of knowledge this man is. Dr. Richard Ulm is the founder of Athlete Enhancement and treating physician at the Columbus Chiropractic and Rehabilitation Center, as well as a Strength and Conditioning coach and SFG level II instructor. His work with DNS training, and combini…
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Ep 270 Devan Gonzalez: Master the Art of Connection
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Welcome to the Strength Connection Podcast! In the 270th episode, I’m joined by Devan Gonzalez, owner and founder of Strive 11 Fitness, and host of the Mindset Cafe podcast. His journey took off as he transitioned to personal training, eventually launching his own 6-Figure personal training business serving a wide variety of clients from athletes t…
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Welcome to the Strength Connection Podcast! Anytime I get to chat with this man, I feel like I could run through a wall! Todd Durkin comes back on the show to talk about True Strength, a memoir released this year about the past few years, and how some of the most painful, and challenging times taught him the greatest lessons. One of the world’s mos…
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Ep 268 Kate Allgood: Keys to Building Unstoppable Confidence
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Welcome to the Strength Connection Podcast! Founder of Quantum Performance, mental performance coach Kate Allgood joins the show to talk confidence, resilience, and self talk for elite athletic performance. A recognized leader in the field of mental performance, she holds two master’s degrees in psychology and is a highly sought after coach. Her fi…
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Ep 267 Missy Bunch: The Movement Mentality
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Welcome to the Strength Connection Podcast! Missy Bunch has been a sparkplug in the game of movement and neuro-training for over 14 years. The Founder of The Movement Mentality, and co-founder of Movement IQ, she is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to pain management, rehabilitation, and neuro training for health and wellness. I was so pumped to…
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Ep 266 Annie Vo: Strength can Literally Save your Life
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Welcome to the Strength Connection Podcast! Strength truly has a greater purpose, and Annie Vo’s story and experience is living proof of that. A veteran strength coach, RKC senior instructor, and Level III Gym Jones instructor, I was so pumped to have Annie join me on the show to talk strength. In this episode, Annie tells her incredibly powerful s…
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Ep 265 Chase Tolleson: The Future of Coaching
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Welcome to the Strength Connection Podcast! In this episode, Chase Tolleson joins me again to dive into health, wealth, entrepreneurship, and the future of coaching. Chase is one of my absolute favorite people to follow, from his content and his newsletter, with a sincere authentic message about creating Impact as a coach. In this conversation, I c…
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Ep 264 Kathy Mauck: The Evolution of Neuro Training
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Welcome to the Strength Connection Podcast! In this episode, Kathy Mauck joins me to dive deep into the evolution of Applied Neurology in the fitness, health, and business industries, and her mission to “normalize neuro.” Kathy has spent the last 15 years as a successful entrepreneur in the health, wellness, and fitness industry. After years of sha…
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Ep 263 Rob Tracz: Build Unstoppable Resilience
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Welcome to the Strength Connection Podcast! In the 263rd episode, I connect with Rob Tracz, founder of Prime Performance Coaching. Rob has a unique system of blending physical, mental, and emotional strategies that foster resilience, clarity, and peak performance. With a focus on creating awareness and avoiding burnout, Rob's methods empower entrep…
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Ep 262 Craig Marker: VO2 Max, Explosive Strength, and Longevity
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Welcome to the Strength Connection Podcast! One of my favorite guests ever to dive deep into training and protocols is back on the show with me in this episode. Craig Marker is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to health, from both the physical and the psychological side. We’ve had some incredible conversations over the years, and in this episode…
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Welcome to the Strength Connection Podcast! In this episode, Matt Bush, Founder of Next Level Neuro is back on the podcast. Matt joined me before to talk about his work with NLN, and helping coaches and trainers understand and use Neuroscience as a tool for optimizing strength, conditioning, and health. He recently hosted a seminar on “The Neurolog…
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Ep 260 Mary Beth Schrudder: One Day Coaching
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Welcome to the Strength Connection Podcast! In the 260th episode, Mary Beth Schrudder joins me to talk about recovery, mindset, and overcoming addiction in life and personal growth. After decades spent in the corporate world, juggling being a single mom while secretly battling addictions to alcohol, food, and toxic relationships, today's guest is n…
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Ep 259 Michael Kurkowski: Resilience, Reduction, The Winter Phase
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Welcome to the Strength Connection Podcast! There've been a couple great insights and lessons I’ve learned in recent episodes from guests on the show, and in this solo episode, I broke down these lessons, why I found them important, and how to implement them and use them in pursuit of strength. Stress Resilence over Stress Reduction The Winter Phas…
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Ep 258 Eric Bach: The Keys to Lifelong Fitness
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Welcome to the Strength Connection Podcast! I’ve been a fan of Eric Bach’s work and the consistent, authentic message that he puts out on strength and conditioning, so I was really excited to share some time with him on the show. Eric’s a 15+ year veteran coach, working with professional athletes in the NFL, NBA, and NHL, along with his client base…
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Ep 257 Ben Olliver: SupraHuman Fitness, Nutrition and Success
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Welcome to the Strength Connection Podcast! In this episode, I am joined by Ben Olliver, Head Performance Instructor at SupraHuman Coaching. Ben is one of the most knowledgeable coaches in the online training and nutrition industry, working with 100’s of individuals in physical transformation and lifestyle. In this conversation, Ben drops some grea…
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Ep 256 Matt O'Neill: Happiness is a Choice
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Welcome to the Strength Connection Podcast! Matt O’Neill is a happiness expert. What a crazy job and passion, but after studying and researching the work and success he has created in the world of happiness, I knew I had to have a talk with him. Matt teaches that happiness is a choice, even when life gets tough. His work has positively impacted the…
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Ep 255 Os Aponte: 3 years on Enter the Kettlebell
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Welcome to the Strength Connection Podcast! On the 255th episode, my good friend Osvaldo Aponte is back on the show for the 3rd time. Owner of IronCore Way, and StrongFirst Team Leader, Os is one of the strongest and most intelligent coaches in movement I’ve ever met, combining his experience in training, martial arts and dance. In this episode, Os…
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Ep 254 Vince Gabriele: The Evolution of Fitness
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Welcome to the Strength Connection Podcast! Vince Gabriele is a 20+ year veteran coach, gym owner, global keynote speaker, and best selling author in the fitness industry. Vince is one of the most knowledgeable minds in both the coaching and business side of fitness, teaching the key components to being a successful coach and making a huge impact i…
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Ep 253 Jaime Filer: Fitness, Mindset, and Psychedelics
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Welcome to the Strength Connection Podcast! Jaime Filer is one of the most energetic and passionate coaches I’ve spoken to. She came on not too long ago on the podcast, speaking about the Inner Outer Strength System, and her experience in fitness and coaching, and it made a huge impact on me. Towards the end of our chat, she mentioned her recent ex…
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Ep 252 Shana Meyerson: YOGAthletica and the Power of Movement
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Welcome to the Strength Connection Podcast. Shana Meyerson is an internationally renowned Yoga teacher and practitioner, and the founder of YOGAthletica. In 2002, Shana was one of the few instructors outside of India teaching yoga to children. A trailblazer in the field that was once considered ridiculous and is now ubiquitous. Today, Shana is the …
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Welcome to the Strength Connection Podcast! In the 251st episode, my friend and brother Tyler Wall comes back on the show. Tyler is one of the most insightful, knowledgeable, and caring coaches I’ve ever met. He’s made one of the biggest impacts on my life in the time we’ve known each other, and everytime we get a chance to dive deep into conversat…
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Ep 250: 5 lessons of Podcasting, Strength, and Connection
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Welcome to the Strength Connection Podcast! 250 episodes! It has been an incredible opportunity to connect with hundreds of amazing guests over the past years, with countless lessons and insights shared that have impacted my life. In this episode, I wanted to share 5 of the most impactful lessons I’ve learned from guests on speaking, fitness, growt…
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Ep 249 Dr. Michael Hartle: Kettlebell Strength & Anatomy
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Welcome to the Strength Connection Podcast! Dr. Michael Hartle joins me again on the show in the 249th episode. Being a Master SFG instructor, Chiropractic physician and former nationally ranked powerlifter, there are few people I enjoy talking about strength with more than Doc. Doc’s combined experience of clinical application and strength trainin…
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Ep 248 Roger Parks: Kettlebell Ballistics
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Welcome to the Strength Connection Podcast. On the 248th episode, I am joined by Roger Parks, Kettlebell coach and founder of Iron Revival. Roger is a coach who dives deep, not resting on the surface level of information, and wanting to know how things work from the inside out, and he’s done that most recently in his new book Kettlebell Ballistics.…
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Ep 247 Carrie Campbell: Level up your Standards!
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Welcome to the Strength Connection Podcast! Carrie Campbell is truly one of my favorite people on the planet. Her energy, insight, and experience in the world of mindset and performance has taught me so much over the last few years, and she is back on the show, because she is on a serious mission. Carrie’s impact and influence over her life as chan…
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Ep 246 Joe Stauffacher: Everything Creates an Input!
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Welcome to the Strength Connection Podcast! Joe Stauffacher is one of the most interesting people I’ve ever met, and he joins me after a long time coming in the 246th episode. Joe’s commitment to studying optimal health in mindset, gut health, and neuro training is next level, and in this episode, he shares his personal journey into what got him in…
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Ep 245 Dr. Kathy Dooley: Anatomy of Next Level Fitness
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Welcome to the Strength Connection Podcast! In the 245th episode, I am joined by Dr. Kathy Dooley, rehabilitative Chiropractor, Co-Founder of Immaculate Dissection, lead instructor for NeuroKinetic Therapy, and Gross Anatomy Instructor at multiple higher learning universities. Dr. Dooley’s wisdom into anatomy and physiology, and connecting rehabili…
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Ep 244 Matt Tack and Dr. Alfred Alessi: Living Full Fueled
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Welcome to the Strength Connection Podcast! In the 244th episode, the boys from the Full Fueled Podcast, Matt Tack and Dr. Alfred Alessi joined me on the show. Matt and Alfred have a great dynamic with their show, as well as their training in Tampa, FL, where they work with individuals on optimizing their lives with 6 pillars. These guys have such …
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Ep 243 Jim Laird: Train Smarter, Not Harder
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Welcome to the Strength Connection Podcast! In the 243rd episode, Jim Laird, 25 year strength and conditioning legend joins me on the show. Jim Laird has been in the game since 1997, empowering clients from diverse backgrounds to achieve their goals. From everyday individuals to professional athletes in the NFL, CFL, LPGA, and MLB, Jim helps client…
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Ep 242 Yuri Elkaim: Why you need to INVEST in your Health
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Welcome to the Strength Connection Podcast! In this episode, I am joined by Yuri Elkaim, CEO of Healthpreneur and NY Times bestselling author who’s helped over 500,000 people better their health from his business, books, and personal story. Yuri’s life completely changed at 17 years old when he began losing all of his hair, and suffered immense fat…
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Welcome to the Strength Connection Podcast! I’ve had some amazing conversations over the past few weeks, and in this episode I share my biggest takeaways on fitness, nutrition, movement, and technology from Aram Grigorian, Gray Cook, and Jason Moore. As well, one question has sparked a big breakthrough for me on how to fuel everyday with the energy…
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Ep 240 Jason Moore: Spren and the Future of Fitness
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Welcome to the Strength Connection Podcast! On the 240th episode, Jason Moore, founder of Spren Technology joins me on the show. From an early adopter of Heart Rate Variability (HRV) in his coaching career to the creation of Spren, his work shows his dedication to making high-quality information about the body more accessible to more people. Throug…
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Ep 239 Gray Cook: The Business of Movement
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Welcome to the Strength Connection Podcast! This was another incredibly special episode. Gray Cook is the founder of the Functional Movement Systems, and one of the greatest minds in the world of strength, conditioning and rehabilitation. Gray has been a pioneer of connecting the clinical and fitness worlds together with the FMS systems, and person…
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Ep 238 Aram Grigorian: Brutally Honest Coaching
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Welcome to the Strength Connection Podcast! In the 238th episode, I am joined by Aram Grigorian, owner of 4 Weeks 2 The Beach Nutrition Coaching, Host of The Other Side Lifestyle Podcast and the Real Coaches Summit. Aram has a no bullshit, honest approach when it comes to helping clients. His raw, real talk about customer service, and the ways to h…
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Ep 237: Roundtable of Strength w/ Brett Jones, DJ Wittekind, and Mark Subias
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Welcome to the Strength Connection Podcast. This was a very special episode to record. Not only do I absolutely love talking with these guys, but it was the first in person round table podcast I’ve gotten to do. After the Mind the Gap workshop, instructed by Brett Jones, and hosted at DJ Wittekinds training gym, Queen City Kettlebell, I sat down wi…
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