The Science of Fitness Podcast

We sit down with sports dietitian Hanah Mills to map out a practical fuelling plan for the Gold Coast Marathon and half marathon, from taper week to the finish line. We unpack gut issues, carb loading, hydration, caffeine, sodium, and what to do when race day logistics throw your usual routine out.  • solo travel lessons and what Blue Zones get right about health and happiness  • building a flexib...

We sit down with Dr Lulu Pullar, Brisbane Lions AFLW player and doctor, to unpack why sport can be the simplest pathway to belonging, confidence, and hope. We also go deep on what it takes to balance elite performance with emergency medicine, and why access matters more than talent when you’re building futures in remote Australia.  • the real purpose of DreameD and why “freedom to dream” comes fir...

We sit down with pelvic health physiotherapist Michelle Murphy to talk about how pelvic floor function links to strength, pain, hormones, and confidence across the lifespan. We challenge the “fix me” mindset and map a practical path from isolated pelvic floor work to real-world lifting, running, and living well.  • mental health concerns in a fast-changing online world  • learning to read what pat...

We speak with Sasha Levitt, CEO of Measure Up, about using DEXA, VO2 max, and strength metrics to turn health goals into a clear, personalised plan while expanding nationwide bone density screening to prevent life-altering fractures. We challenge BMI, unpack the economics of prevention, and show how simple, accurate testing boosts motivation and long-term habit change. • What DEXA measures versus...

We share 11 rules forged from 11 years running a gym and building a community, linking what works in training to what works in business. From consistency and clear goals to measurement, people, patience, and celebration, we map a path you can stick to. • turn up as the non‑negotiable habit • surround yourself with good people for pull and accountability • set clear goals to direct effort and inter...

We guide a five‑minute breathwork session to shift state on demand, using simple counts, contrasts, and stillness to teach control over the nervous system. You learn to breathe low and wide, lengthen your exhale, and use brief breath holds to settle fast. • body awareness and rib expansion cues • 3‑in 5‑out pattern for downregulation • gentle pauses to relax face and jaw • 2‑in 1‑out set to upregu...

Surgery isn’t a Netflix nap. It’s a high‑stakes team effort where your anaesthetist runs the room, balances risk, and quietly steers you from fear to recovery. We sit with Dr Conrad Makrikanis to decode what really happens before the first dose, why obesity is a medical emergency, and how prehab can slash complications by half. Conrad traces a path from rural retrievals to Brisbane theatres, revea...

What if recovery wasn’t a luxury but the easiest way to upgrade sleep, focus, training, and mood? We sit down with TH7 co-founder Tom Harvey to map the shift from novelty wellness to purpose-built protocols that respect time, deliver clarity, and actually make your week feel better. Over the last 18 months Tom’s team opened four clinics and learned why consistency beats variety, how to turn protoc...

What if the most valuable performance upgrade isn’t more effort, but more honesty with yourself? We sit down with Tama Barry — former principal dancer turned sport and exercise psychologist — to map the messy terrain between certainty and growth, and how language, values, and attention shape every outcome you care about. Tama opens up about the intensity of professional ballet, the abrupt end thro...

The gap between training hard and feeling great is often one thing: enough fuel. We’re joined by sports dietitian Hanah Mills for a candid, practical tour of performance nutrition that ditches extremes and focuses on what actually moves the needle—energy availability, smart carb timing, and habits you can live with. We start by challenging hustle culture and the pressure to chase body fat at all c...

Ever felt “stuck in the mud” mid-run or trapped by a watch that insists you’re in zone two while your lungs disagree? We sat down with sports physio Dominic Morissini to unpack what efficient running really looks like, how to build it, and why the smartest changes often start away from the track. Dom breaks running down into what you see and what you load: kinematics and kinetics. From there, we e...

Most people think recovery is an ice bath or a day off. We make the case that the most accessible recovery tool is already with you: a diaphragm-led breath that can steady your heart, calm your nervous system, and teach your body to move better under load. We break down how breathing sits at the crossroads of mechanics and neurology. You’ll learn why shallow, chesty breaths keep you wired, why lon...

Most training advice skips the unsexy steps and sprints straight to sweat. We flip the script with a clear, usable hierarchy that protects your body, multiplies your gains, and keeps you training for years: robustness first, strength second, aerobic third, and anaerobic last. You’ll hear why you can’t build performance on dysfunction, how simple daily activation changes your ceiling, and where str...

If you’ve ever pushed the pace for a cleaner Strava graph, you’ve felt the tug-of-war between ambition and anatomy. We invited physiotherapist and Trail Kings host Shale Coranda to unpack how runners actually get better: not with hacks, but with small mechanical tweaks, heavy strength done right, and a stubborn commitment to patience. Shale’s blend of clinical insight and real-world running cultur...

What if the end of one identity is the start of a stronger one? We sit down with coach and former NZ footy player Matthias Hemoulli to chart the messy, human path from bricklaying and burnout to building a life around health, coaching, and community. No highlight reel, just honest moments: losing the routine of sport, slipping into bad habits, hitting reset with a single choice to get fitter, and...

Start with a simple truth: progress belongs to the people who take the first step and ask better questions. That’s the heartbeat of our chat with exercise physiologist Oscar Munro, whose journey runs from childhood sport and an early uni stumble to a thriving practice across NDIS, DVA, ageing strength, and elite rugby programs. We explore how the EP role sits between diagnosis and performance—wher...

Joined by Nicole Gibson from MeasureUp, we unpack how precise testing of DEXA, VO2 max, and resting metabolic rate, turns longevity from a buzzword into an actionable plan. Nicole shares why early measurement prevents fractures, guides smart training, and keeps you accountable without fear of numbers. • What MeasureUp tests and why it matters? • the Bone Bus and population bone density screening •...

We examine the crucial role of attendance in achieving fitness success and maintaining business sustainability, demonstrating how member attendance is directly linked to retention rates and health outcomes. • Gym members typically see their trainers more frequently than any other professional service provider • Analysis showing 39 of 40 cancelled memberships were attending less than twice weekly •...

The wellness and longevity market has exploded, with luxury facilities charging upwards of $500 weekly for comprehensive health services. But beneath the polished veneer of infrared saunas and cold plunges lies a crucial question: are these investments worth it, or are we overlooking the fundamentals? As facility owners who've witnessed the industry's evolution first-hand, we've obs...

Discover how the Science of Fitness Women's Health Program is transforming female wellness through education, community, and personalised approaches. What began as a focused intervention for pelvic health has blossomed into a comprehensive framework that addresses women's wellbeing across all life stages. Dr. Meg Doohan and exercise physiologist Emily Adams share the powerful evolution o...

Two housemates, Sofie and Sophie, accidentally created a fitness phenomenon when they started inviting friends to join their morning runs in Brisbane. What began as casual 5k jogs with a dozen friends in early 2023 transformed into SoSo's Run Club—now drawing hundreds of participants and disrupting the traditional running scene with their community-first approach. The turning point came when...

What separates exceptional fitness equipment from merely functional gear? According to Niall Wogan, founder and CEO of Verve Fitness, it's the perfect blend of stunning aesthetics, rock-solid functionality, and customer service that actually cares. In this fascinating conversation, Niall shares his global entrepreneurial journey that spans continents—from Ireland to South Africa to Los Angele...

What happens when life's challenges redirect your entire career path? Brandon Marangeli's journey from architecture to becoming a fixture in our fitness community illuminates how adversity can unveil our true calling. Brandon takes us back to the soccer field where an undiagnosed ACL injury—one he remarkably played through for two years—eventually led him away from architecture and into...

The fitness landscape is constantly evolving, with trends rising and falling at lightning speed. In this inaugural episode of our new "SOF Monthly" series, we dive into two significant movements capturing attention right now: the hybrid athlete phenomenon and the growing focus on menopausal women's fitness. What exactly constitutes a hybrid athlete? We break down this increasingly p...

Step into the world of sports nutrition with this captivating episode featuring Sally Anderson, an expert sports dietitian with extensive experience working in sports such as diving, ballet, and tennis. Specialising in optimising health and performance in adolescent and young adult athletes, Sally brings a wealth of knowledge to help athletes navigate the complexities of nutrition. In our conversa...