AGEnts of Movement

Interview with Matt Mulligan, founder of Body Roots Coaching. We talk  about his unique approach to coaching and facilitating movement, especially amongst the over 50 population. Matt shares his journey from technical movement coaching to a conversational, joy-focused method that invites individuals to discover and explore their own paths to physical joy, regardless of age. He discusses the import...

Alisa Tagg is the Association Director of the National Association of Activity Professionals (NAAP), in this episode we explore how health and fitness professionals can collaborate with activity professionals to cater to the senior population's physical activity and wellness needs. We discuss: -The evolving landscape of senior care and the opportunities for fitness professionals to contribute...

Paul Holbrook is the founder of Age Performance training center in Salt Lake City, Utah. Paul shares his insights on the importance of speed and power training over traditional strength training for older adults, backed by his extensive experience and a master's degree in gerontology. He discusses muscle physiology, the benefits of speed training for balance, and why fast-twitch muscle fiber w...

Dr. Mike Studer is a neuro physical therapist and educator specializing in working with older adults. Get ready for a deep dive into actionable advice and strategies aimed at fostering independence, resilience, and a higher quality of life for older adults through thoughtful and focused programming. Mike shares invaluable insights on: Addressing the fear of falling: Learn how to assess and talk to...

Bob Ryan hosts yoga practitioners of all abilities and ages through creative movement workshops and classes, both online and in group settings.  His personal yoga practice has subtly shape-shifted over the years into something he feels is more authentic to who he is.  He has redesigned yoga classes that encourage participants 50+ to approach movement with a beginner’s mindset; drawing them within...

Anne Ondrey shifted from a career in social work and reporting to teaching yoga in 2007. She specializes in therapeutic, restorative and chair yoga. Anne discusses the importance of interoception and how it has guided her teachings to help individuals, especially older adults, move in a way that feels right to them. She highlights her transition to yoga in her late forties, and what led her to the...

Michael is an exercise physiologist by training and a health entrepreneur, health educator, and fitness industry advocate by trade as well as host  and creator of the Wellness Paradox Podcast. He is dedicated to advocating for, fitness and wellness professionals to  become an essential constituent in the healthcare delivery system.  With a career spanning over three decades in fitness, health, and...

Celebrating the 1 year anniversary of the podcast! The episode highlights the journey of the podcast, featuring discussions with health and fitness professionals who are making a significant impact in the lives of aging adults. I’m sharing memorable excerpts from past guests, including stories of motivation, the importance of mindset in fitness, the concept of informed and engaged aging, and perso...

Shelby is a natural fitness coach and personal trainer with a background in ninja, parkour and MovNat. She teaches movement-based fitness and movement skills to people aged 0-85. She believes in the power of movement to help find connection with ourselves, one another, and our environment. Shelby is an NASM certified personal trainer, MovNat L3 Certified Trainer, Pregnancy and Postpartum Correctiv...

Nancy Burns, is founder of Body Wisdom Studios in Point Richmond, California. She is is a corrective exercise specialist, who trained with nationally recognized biomechanist and bestselling author Katy Bowman. Her and her team of instructors help people master movement skills that improve body alignment and how people move throughout their day and with their daily activities..  Her mission is to e...

Seasoned fitness professional, Holly Benson, shares her insights about entering the fitness industry. She discusses employment opportunities in fitness, advantages and drawbacks of being an employee versus an independent contractor, the importance of continual education, and potential challenges in the field. She also provides tips on choosing a fitness facility to work in, the importance of estab...

Kelly Howard is a Fitness Consistency Expert with a touch of adventure and the author of FIT: Active & Ageless for Life. For 25 years Kelly has helped thousands of women prioritize their fitness so they can feel great and have more fun in the second half of life. She invites women to adventure out of their comfort zones by trying new experiences they may have only dreamt of previously.  Her Fi...

Hildy Feen retired from working in information technology and project management to teaching low flying trapeze to older adults. She has been dancing on the ground and in the air for over 20 years. Having started taking aerial classes at 47, she studies and performs trapeze, silks, cloud swing, wall running, and contact improvisation. When she choreographs, she likes her pieces to tell a story, of...

Round 2 with Robert Linkul where we discuss recent articles that have come out on resistance training for older adults.  We talk about the critical importance of overload in training a factor that often gets overlooked in articles about strength training for older adults. We also unpack a  Washington Post article revealing the astonishing performance improvements seen in  adults over 80 from a bas...

Jim Brown is founder of A Balance You. After facing a layoff, he discovered he had heart disease and cancer. Hear how a diet change and  a push-up challenge led him into the world of health  fitness, eventually becoming a certified Primal Health Coach and personal trainer. You'll also hear how a single TikTok post catapulted Jim into the digital spotlight, garnering over 38,000 views overnight...

Sandy Bramlett is a Certified Ageless GraceⓇ Brain Health Educator and Trainer. She has over three decades of hands-on experience in mind/body modalities, and is a passionate movement specialist dedicated to whole-person wellness and lifelong brain and body fitness. In our conversation, Sandy shares  insights into the transformative power of Ageless GraceⓇ and its profound impact on brain health. ...

Ryan is a Physical Therapist Assistant. He holds certifications as fall prevention specialist, and functional aging specialist, brain health training and is a fellow of applied functional science from Gray Institute.  Ryan transitions between roles, serving as a physical therapist assistant and providing in-home personal training to adults over 60. His mission is to empower clients to move better,...

Interview with Holly Benson, a medical fitness specialist and expert mentor. She is a seasoned professional in fitness program management, personal training, and group exercise instruction.  As a medical fitness and corrective exercise specialist, she builds bridges and forges partnerships with healthcare providers and integrates fitness into patient care. But that's not all—Holly is a beacon...

Dive into the fitness industry with Dr. Jan Schroeder, a distinguished professor of kinesiology at Cal State Long Beach. We explore the ins and outs of the fitness industry, and she offers valuable insights for aspiring fitness professionals. Dr. Schroeder shares her wealth of knowledge on how to kick start a career in fitness, emphasizing the importance of education and certifications. Her guidan...

Robert Linkul is the owner of TOA (Training the Older Adult). He provides continuing education for personal trainers and is passionate about helping older adults fight against sarcopenia. In this episode we discuss: The disconnect between the healthcare providers not understanding sarcopenia and not endorsing resistance training Barriers for older adults to start resistance training How workout sp...

Podcast guests share their stories on how training and teaching has transformed the lives of their clients and and participants. From 95-year-olds wielding chainsaws to dancing on the beach and conquering Machu Picchu. The stories aim to highlight and inspire the positive impact health and fitness professionals have on improving the health, well-being and physical abilities of older adults. Podcas...

Paul Mross lives in New Glarus, WI (USA). He is a certified yoga instructor through the Yoga Alliance (E-RYT 200). He has been the project manager and yoga consultant for 5 research studies on Fall Prevention and Yoga with UW-Madison. Paul has presented at conferences, including Wisconsin Institute for Healthy Aging, Wisconsin Occupational Therapy Association, and the International Association of...

In this heartwarming episode as we delve into the profound power of movement and storytelling in the lives of elders. I’m interviewing Laura Treglia and Shawn Womack, two passionate dance instructors, who lead the Dancing Your Stories for Elders class at the Hillside Community Center in Colorado Springs. This innovative class provides a platform for older adults to express themselves, share their...

Sifu David Leopold is a martial and healing arts specialist and a certified instructor in Taichi, Qigong, and wellness. He brings an  innovative holistic approach to wellness and healing arts and has over 27 years of practicing, studying, researching, teaching and developing programs and educational materials.  Some of his accomplishments include receiving 2 Gold & 1 Bronze medal at the World...

Karen McNeill, is a yoga and Tai Chi instructor with a private practice based in the Naples, Florida area where she shares the benefits of Tai Chi in nature with weekly sessions at the Naples Botanical Gardens. Karen has been studying, practicing, and teaching Tai Chi and Qigong since 2000. She’s had the opportunity to study with masters of Tai Chi and has traveled to China to continue with her st...