Smashing Fifty

Flexibility, mobility, and aches and pains are relatively quiet in the health and fitness world, where fat loss and muscle growth rule. However, as we age, ensuring that we stay mobile, active, and pain-free by focusing on our joints might just be the most important thing we can do. Today's guest, Paul Millard, talks us through his journey from being a regular personal trainer in 2001 and goin...

When a routine blood test came back showing signs of cancer, 45-year-old Jo White knew he wasn't going to let the disease beat him. Jo, from oldboystraining.com has spent his life training both the military and civilians up in the mountains and underwater and has been passionate about health and fitness for as long as he can remember. Despite spending the last 10-plus years receiving treatment...

Jamie Prokell is the Creative Director of Men's Health Magazine. He's also a father, a husband, and a middle-aged man who, at 45, felt like he was being left behind in terms of his health and fitness. In this episode, we learn how Jamie's eldest daughter running a 5k prompted him to start on his own running journey (and failing terribly), but how his persistence took him all the way to...

In this episode, I discuss with world-renowned stretching coach Brad Walker everything you need to know about runner's knee. In this episode, we discuss: • What runner's knee is & how to prevent it • How to treat runner's knee • Recovery techniques • What to do if you're currently struggling with runner's knee and you have an event coming up • We'll also discuss strengt...

Freddie Bennett has been to places that most of us haven't on the spectrum of despair and personal achievement. He went from being an overweight, unfit, drunk and depressed corporate executive to a Guinness World Record holder, running across the Sahara desert, winning ultramarathons, becoming a bestselling author and following a dream to move from the UK to New Zealand. At rock bottom, he fac...

Have you ever made a to do list because you’ve got loads of things on your mind and you want to start making progress in one area of your life or another, but then it all goes onto the list along with a handful of other things… and then you never do them. Then instead of making long to-do-lists try making short and concise must-do lists.

I always considered myself to be an average, middle-of-the-road drinker who, despite drinking excessively in my younger days drank much the same as everyone else. However, could my drinking have been responsible for the mental health problems I suffered, especially with anxiety?  I hope that you will be able to relate to this story, and maybe help you to explore your own relationship with alc...

How much alcohol should you drink in order to enjoy alcohol at a safe level?  Well, as of January 2023, Canada has announced that their new recommendation for a safe amount of alcohol to drink is ZERO!!    And if you must drink, then it should be no more than two drinks (a glass of wine or a beer) per week!   Previously they had recommended around 10 drinks per week in line wit...

Body Sculptor Ben is a coach and founder of the unbreakable man program. In this episode, we discuss what he thinks are the biggest challenges facing middle-aged men and how you can get out of a middle-aged rut. Ben also gives us a simple breakdown of how calories work as well as a few other interesting insights into men's health and happiness. Stay tuned to the end to discover what this disciplin...

Four years ago, Jake Malarney was going through a divorce. Around the same time, he also saw a picture of himself that he barely recognised. Inspired by a close friend he decided to get fit and change his life. By chance, he ended up in his local gym and has never looked back. In this episode, Jake reveals to me his workout routine, how he manages his time, what he eats, and how he sculpted his mo...

This episode follows on from the previous episode - Injury prevention for new runners - with Chris O’Brien from the Confident Runner. In this episode, we discuss how the body works, and how to be more efficient in your running by developing a more helpful and efficient technique. Stop thinking of your technique as being good or bad and instead ask yourself is your technique helpful or unhelpful Ti...

If you're new to running or are starting a new running program such as the 10k Hero Challenge then you need to be mindful of doing too much too soon and picking up an injury. In this episode, I speak to running coach and endurance specialist, Chris O'Brien from The Confident Runner about the science of running and how injury occurs. Learn the number one cause of injury in new runners and its 5-var...

In this episode, I speak with Brad Walker, AKA the Stretch Coach about how beginners can stay injury-free when training for a 10k race. We cover warming up, cooling down, stretching and injury prevention.

In this episode, I speak with 70-year-old Frank Rothwell who is rowing solo 3,000 miles across the Atlantic Ocean as part of the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge (TWAC), in support of Alzheimer's Research UK. Listen in to discover what creates such incredible spirit and lust for life. You'll also learn what he fears most in life and what he's most afraid of during this incredible challenge. Fran...

Four years ago was the best day of my life. Four years ago I was broke… Listen to the story of how 34-year-old Josh Steger from Illinois went from being a broke mechanic, worrying about paying his bills and buying food for his family, to closing on the home of his dreams in just four short years. Learn how he changed everything in his life through self-reflection, personal development, asking hims...

This is the story of an ordinary bloke from the UK who at age 38 found himself overweight, unfit and about to become a father. Inspired by the birth of his twin girls, Chris O' Brien set out to run between two lamp-posts, a feat he could barely achieve. Today, he runs sub-3-hour marathons, is an endurance junky and even started a few new businesses around his passion for running. Listen to Chris's...

After listening to the Tribe of Mentors podcast with Tim Ferris and Jocko Willink I’ve become quite fascinated by the concept that ‘discipline equals freedom’. I used to think of discipline as being quite restrictive but if you think about it, having the discipline to work through the tasks you need to do in order to buy yourself the freedom to do what you want to do is quite a liberating thing. H...

In this episode, I speak with Matt Hall, a former firefighter from the UK who is six months into a 'new life' living without alcohol. Listen in as Matt and I discuss his journey with One Year No Beer (OYNB) and discover how he saved over £3,000 in just six months and how his life has changed in so many other ways. For more information on the benefits of giving up alcohol and One Year No Beer visit...

In this episode, I continue the discussion around taking a break from alcohol and speak with Gabriel Paues, a 44-year-old man living in Stockholm. Listen in as Gabriel and I discuss his journey with One Year No Beer (OYNB) and discover how his life has changed since giving up alcohol and living a more fulfilled life. For more information on the benefits of giving up alcohol and One Year No Beer vi...

In this episode, I speak with Harvey Roberts, an ordinary bloke living in the UK without drinking alcohol (shock!). Listen in as Harvey and I discuss his journey with One Year No Beer (OYNB) and discover how his life has changed since giving up alcohol and living a more fulfilled life. For more information on the benefits of giving up alcohol and One Year No Beer visit: smashingfifty.com

I'm 45 years old and next week I'm going to play football (soccer) for only the second time in the last nine years. So, I decided to do a bit of research into the benefits of playing football once you're over 40 and I also got a bit of advice from a former pro-trainer on how to prepare for a game. So should you play when you're over 40? Take a listen to find out. www.smashingfifty.com

In this episode, former pro-cyclist Anthony Walsh talks to me about life as a pro-cyclist and chasing the dream in pursuit of becoming the best. We also discuss how his dream came crashing down, his struggles with finding his true passion and his fear of becoming an overweight middle-aged man. We also discuss the neccecity of having a life-vision, a top-tip from Tim Ferris, cortisol, morning routi...

Fred Zalokar holds the record for winning his age group in each of the six Abbott World Marathon Majors. Additionally, he's a traveller, a mountain climber, ultra runner, husband and father who holds down a full-time job. His passion for life and challenges is an inspiration to all, so regardless of your interest in marathon running, his story is going to blow your mind. If you're wondering how he...

Putting on weight and muscle is not easy for a lot of men. Personally, it's something that I've struggled with my entire adult life, and so in this episode, I speak to personal trainer and nutritionist, Anthony Bailey about how to bulk up and put on weight and muscle in your forties.  In the episode we cover: The best exercises for putting on muscle Where to start with weights If bodyweight t...

Like a lot of middle-aged men, I've got my fair share of aches and pains and so I reached out to one of the world's best stretch coaches to get some real insight into the world of stretching. During this episode, amongst other things, we covered: • The main causes of pain and reduced flexibility in middle-aged men • How stretching works • The different type of stretches • The mistakes people make...