The Back in Action Podcast

Ever thought about throwing on a weighted backpack and turning your daily walk into a workout? That's essentially rucking, and it's one of Coach Dusty Holden's favorite ways to get in his zone 2 cardio. He'll even show up early to his kids' practices to get a few miles in instead of spending that time sitting in the car. In this episode of The Cooldown, Dusty and Dr. John Lavel...

In this episode of Back in Action, Dr. John LaVelle, Coach Dusty Holden, and Coach Josh Bunch break down how they approach their own training and use it to unpack what makes a good workout in the first place. The conversation gets into consistency and frequency, combining strength work with conditioning, and why variety doesn’t mean abandoning the movements you need to get better at. For someone n...

The Cooldown is our short follow-up to the latest episode of The Back in Action Podcast, where we take one question from the conversation and spend another 5–10 minutes getting practical with it. Coming out of Ep. 21, “Don’t Squat. Don’t Deadlift.” And Other Back Pain Myths, the question is: what happens when you’re ready to start exercising—or keep training through back pain—but the people around...

A disc bulge shows up on your MRI. You’re told to be careful. Maybe stop bending, stop lifting, definitely don’t deadlift. What happens next can matter just as much as what showed up on the scan. In this episode, Dr. John Lavelle, Coach Dusty Holden, and Coach Josh Bunch get into some of the most common back pain advice they hear people carry into the doctor’s office and the gym — and how quickly...

Your back has been hurting for six months. You’re out of ideas, and you don’t know what to do next. Where do you start? In the Season 3 premiere, Josh steps into the role of the patient while Dr. John Lavelle and Coach Dusty Holden walk through the first steps they would take. Dr. Lavelle starts by listening to the patient, understanding how long the pain has been present, and ruling out signs tha...

We all reach a point where we have a choice to make. Keep putting movement, strength, and your health on the back burner… or start investing in the body you’ll depend on for decades to come. In this Mixtape, Dr. John Lavelle, Coach Dusty Holden, and Coach Josh Bunch explore why getting older isn’t a reason to slow down—it’s one of the strongest reasons to start. They unpack what actually happens t...

“Just start moving” sounds simple. But when you’re dealing with back pain, fear of movement, or years of being told what not to do, the first step can feel anything but obvious. In this Mixtape, Dr. John Lavelle, Coach Dusty Holden, and Coach Josh Bunch pull together conversations from across the show about where to begin when movement feels intimidating. T hey talk about why pain can make people...

You Were Born to Hinge Somewhere along the way, a lot of people were taught that bending over is dangerous. Don't round your back. Don't deadlift. Don't pick that up. Be careful. The problem is that life doesn't happen in perfect positions. In this Mixtape, Dr. John Lavelle, Coach Dusty Holden, and Coach Josh Bunch pull together conversations from across the show around one of the...

Pain is weird. You can have a perfectly healed structure and still be dealing with very real pain. You can also have arthritis, disc degeneration, or an old injury on an MRI and still get stronger, move better, and feel better over time. Mixtape #2 pulls together some of the biggest conversations we’ve had around pain science, nervous system sensitization, inflammation, movement avoidance, and why...

Afraid to move because you think pain means you’re making things worse? One of the sneakiest things about back pain is that eventually it stops being about the pain itself. It becomes fear. Fear of bending over. Fear of deadlifting. Fear of “messing it up again.”Fear every time your back tightens up that you’re somehow back at square one. That’s what Mixtape #1 digs into. This episode pulls togeth...

In this episode of the Back in Action Podcast, Dr. John Lavelle sits down with coaches Dusty Holden and Josh Bunch to talk about what people get wrong about fitness, health, pain, and performance — including mistakes we’ve made ourselves. We cover why working out feels hard at first, why most people quit too soon, and how the modern healthcare system focuses on treating symptoms instead of prevent...

This episode of Back in Action took an unexpected turn before we even officially started. We were still setting up the studio and the cameras were already rolling when Dr. Lavelle brought up a topic that immediately sparked a reaction from our trainers. Instead of stopping and resetting, we threw out the notes and let the conversation unfold. What started as a behind-the-scenes moment turned into...

If you’ve been resting because of pain… this episode might change everything. Dr. John Lavelle and Coach Josh Bunch discuss what happens to your body when you stop moving, and why avoidance often leads to more weakness, instability, and long-term pain. In this episode of Back in Action, we break down: ✔ What your body loses first when you stop training ✔ Why muscle loss happens faster than most pe...

Fitness in your 40s isn’t about slowing down—it’s about training smarter. In this episode, Back in Action coaches and a spine physician unpack what movement and fitness should actually look like in midlife. We go beyond just “doing mobility” and dive into how strength, stability, recovery, and intentional training work together to keep you active and pain-free. If you’re navigating aches, coming b...

If pain, injury, or time away from movement has left you unsure where to start—this episode is your on-ramp. Back in Action coaches and a spine physician walk through the very first Rebuilding the Back session, pausing along the way to explain what’s happening beneath the surface and how intentional movement restores trust in your body. You’ll learn how the program is designed, why progress looks...

CrossFit gets blamed for a lot—especially back pain. But is the sport actually the problem? In this episode, we unpack the real relationship between CrossFit and your spine , diving into functional rehab principles, the reality of smart scaling, and what “movement is medicine” looks like when put to the test. You’ll get stories and perspective from a spine physician and a long-time CrossFit coach...

Happy Holidays from Back in Action! This 20-minute bonus episode breaks down what actually matters for staying strong and sane through the holidays—plus how to get back into movement afterward without blowing yourself up. Here’s what we cover: The minimum movement your body needs to feel good What to focus on when your routine disappears Food vs. movement: which one makes the biggest impact Quick...

In this episode, we tackle two of the most misunderstood spine issues: disc degeneration and radiculopathy. We break the episode into two parts: Disc Degeneration – what it is, why it happens, what the MRI really means, and how smart training can keep you strong. Radiculopathy – what nerve root compression looks and feels like, when to seek medical help, and how movement can help manage symptoms....

Why does momentum matter in training? What do movements like loaded carries, sled pushes, lunges, and backward walking give us that stationary lifts can’t? How do they protect our joints, restore posture, and build real-world strength? In this episode of  The Back In Action Podcast , we dig into the power of momentum-based movements.  You’ll learn how to use them for longevity, rehab, and performa...

Sitting all day doesn’t just make you stiff—it can weaken your body and set the stage for back pain.  In this episode of the Back in Action Podcast, we tackle the unique challenges desk workers face. We’ll break down how sitting affects the spine, why strength training is the most powerful tool to fight back, and the exact exercises that make the biggest difference.  Whether you’re stuck at a desk...

Not every child grows up on the playing field—but every child still needs to move.  In this episode of The Back In Action Podcast, we explore the hidden costs of inactivity in kids, from posture problems and weak movement patterns to the impact on confidence and health. Join us as we discuss how to make fitness fun, prevent dysfunction, and help kids build lifelong movement habits—even if they nev...

Youth sports should build strength, confidence, and resilience—not send kids to the doctor’s office. In this episode, the team breaks down how to help your young athlete stay healthy, whether they’re just starting sports or chasing championships. We cover the truth about early specialization, age-appropriate strength training, injury prevention strategies, and what every parent should know to keep...

Arthritis sounds like a dead end—but it’s not. In this episode, we break down what arthritis really is and what it isn’t, how arthritis affects beginners, longtime lifters, and everyone in between. We tackle imaging myths, smart training adaptations, and why movement (not rest) is often the key to less pain. Whether you’re newly diagnosed or worried your training years are catching up to you, this...

Is rest really the best medicine? Do you have to be pain-free to start moving again? In this episode, we break down what injury recovery actually looks like—from tissue healing to mental roadblocks and everything in between. You’ll learn why your scan might not matter, how movement plays a key role in healing, and what might be holding you back (even if you don’t realize it). Whether you’re recove...

You got an MRI—and now you’re convinced your spine is falling apart. Sound familiar? In this episode, we unpack the truth about imaging: what it shows, what it doesn’t show, and why scary-sounding findings often mean a lot less than you think.  Follow along as we break down common myths about herniated discs, bulges, and degenerative changes.  We’ll also talk about the mental weight of medical lan...