Always Adaptive

3 Supplement Scandals You NEED to Know About in 20 Minutes The supplement industry runs on one assumption… That you won’t check under the hood. In this video I’m breaking down 3 of the biggest supplement scandals in recent years that have been documented by independent lab testing and peer reviewed research. We’re going to hit creatine, protein powdrs and other products, and the holy grail in fish...

Does strength training for runners actually work? I dug into a ton of peer-reviewed research on lifting for runners, and covered injury prevention, performance, and I’m providing some running tips you won't find anywhere else. Along the way I almost got fooled by an AI generated study that doesn't actually exist. In this video I answer three questions: Does strength training improve runn...

This is a repost of my interview on  @TheMindfulMovementPodcast where Les Raymond and I had an amazing and fun live conversation about all kinds of topics. This was a trial run to see how the live format works and so we're thinking about doing this at some sort of frequency that we're unsure of just yet. The topics we talked about ranged from periodization tactics for lifting and running...

A 9-year-old deadlifted 180lbs in competition and the internet had opinions. Some people were excited. Others asked "how is this even allowed?" and those people are wrong.  In this video I break down the evidence on youth resistance training: the growth plate myth, injury rates compared to popular youth sports, bone mineral density data, childhood obesity tracking, and the psychological...

People have been leaving some wild comments lately… so it was time to bring this series back. In this episode, I respond to comments covering protein intake recommendations, stretching vs resistance training for flexibility, BOSU balls and instability training, gymnasts vs bodybuilders, functional training, cheat meals, calorie tracking, fiber intake, and more. We dig into the current evidence on...

Most people think flexibility is just about stretching muscles longer. That’s part of it, but it’s not the whole story. In this video, we’re digging into what actually controls your range of motion. We’ll break down the role your nervous system plays, how motor patterns influence flexibility, and why simply forcing yourself deeper into stretches doesn’t always lead to lasting results. Then we’ll w...

Longevity has become the focus of modern health. There’s no shortage of YouTube influencers pushing supplements like NAD and resveratrol with promises of extending your life. But do you want to know what consistently shows up in the data? Being fit. So the real question isn’t supplements. It’s this: what matters more for longevity, cardio or strength? That’s exactly what we’re breaking down today....

Is body positivity actually helping people… or is it missing something important? In this video, I break down the Jubilee “Surrounded” debate featuring Jillian Michaels and 20 body positivity activists, looking at the claims, the arguments, and most importantly, the data behind them. We get into:  • The difference between association and causation in obesity research  • Mendelian randomization and...

If you’ve been told that zone 2 cardio is the gold standard for health, fat loss, and performance… it’s time to take a closer look. In this video, I take a look at the current state of some evidence comparing zone 2 vs HIIT , looking at VO2 max improvements , mitochondrial adaptations , and fat loss outcomes .  You’ll learn whether zone 2 training benefits are truly superior, or if higher intensit...

For decades, lifters have been told that soreness is a sign of a great workout. The idea that “no pain no gain” means your muscles need to be damaged in order to grow has become one of the most common beliefs in fitness culture. But modern hypertrophy research paints a very different picture. In this video, I break down the relationship between muscle soreness, muscle damage, and hypertrophy. We e...

Does muscle size really predict strength? You’ve probably seen smaller powerlifters deadlifting insane weight while bigger bodybuilders struggle with less. So what’s actually going on? In this video, I review a couple clips from the great TNF and Coach Mundy. Being bigger increases your potential for strength. But strength expression depends on skill, motor learning, and how you train. I break it...

You've probably heard claims about fascia release, myofascial release, and even specific fascia training methods that promise to unlock movement, reduce stiffness, and improve performance. But what do these terms actually mean and can fascia really be targeted the way many people suggest? In this video, we take a closer look at the growing conversation around fascia release exercises, modern...

In this video, I’m responding to some comments that have piled up over the past 6 months about some BOSU ball comments I made.  I break down some data behind BOSU ball training , instability exercises, force production, and why so many people misunderstand what this equipment actually does. BOSU balls were originally designed for balance training, proprioception, rehab, and fall prevention , not f...

In this video, I break down a 10 month lifting study that compared traditional strength training, plyometrics and sprint training, functional training, and a control group in trained athletes. The researchers tested squat strength, jump height, sprint speed, and change of direction to see which style of training actually improved athletic performance the most. The results weren’t even close. But a...

Creatine is one of the most researched supplements in fitness, but its effects on brain health and cognition are often oversimplified. In this episode, I break down the actual human research on creatine and cognitive performance, separating the idea of “brain boosting” from what the data really show. We walk through randomized controlled trials examining creatine under sleep deprivation, hypoxia,...

The new HHS dietary guidelines have sparked controversy, especially after the release of the new inverted food pyramid under Donald Trump’s administration, with RFK Jr. playing a pivotal role in shaping the conversation around food, health, and chronic disease. In this video I give some of my thoughts, good and bad, on these new HHS guidelines. We’ll look at protein recommendations, fat intake, sa...

In this video, I respond directly to a commenter debating clean eating vs calorie counting, and why this argument keeps coming up in the first place. Using human and animal research on food deprivation, restraint, and cravings, I break down what actually happens when you try to eat “perfectly” versus using calories as a flexible tool. We’ll look at studies on chocolate, carbohydrate restriction, p...

Is heavy resistance training really better for tendon adaptation, or is strength training being oversold as a way to “target” connective tissue? In this video, I break down what the research actually shows about tendon adaptation in response to resistance training and strength training. We look at whether tendons remodel differently with heavy vs light loads, what targeting connective tissue reall...

Every New Year, the same thing happens. Motivation is high, plans are ambitious, and by the second week of January most New Year’s resolutions are already falling apart. In this video, I break down how to approach your New Year’s fitness resolution in a way that actually holds up long term. Not “New year new me” extremes, not daily challenges that burn you out, and not biohacks that distract you f...

How much exercise do you actually need to be healthy and perform well? And how does that change if you’re lifting, running, or trying to do both? In this video, I break down what the current research actually says about exercise volume, including lifting and endurance training, and why some popular conclusions about “too much exercise” are being overstated or misunderstood. We look at how certain...

Do calories matter or is it all about hormones like insulin? In this video I break down the calorie debate through a long discussion between Dr. Mike and Jason Fung and explain why so many arguments about calories miss the real issue. Calories do not cause obesity. They are the measurement of the food that led to weight gain. Hormones influence hunger and behavior, but regardless of the mechanism,...

Science based lifting is taking fire from every direction right now, and not just from trolls. After Aaron Solomon exposed major flaws in Mike Israetel’s PhD dissertation, a lot of people saw their chance to attack science itself. Creators like Greg Doucette , Sam Sulek and a wave of others have been dropping reaction videos that paint evidence-based training as shaky, unreliable, or outright poin...

In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Nic Verhoeven (Physionic) to break down the now-viral seed oil debate between Paul Saladino and Nick Norwitz. Who’s Who: Dr. Paul Saladino, MD – Carnivore diet advocate and founder of Heart & Soil. Known for his initial promotion of the carnivore diet and his strong anti–seed oil stance.  @Paulsaladinomd Dr. Nick Norwitz, MD, PhD– Harvard-trained researcher...

You guys had A LOT to say this quarter, and some of these comments I couldn't ignore. From people defending David Goggins to calling me out on the lead in protein powder video, to sharing incredible real-life stories about why running actually matters, we're covering it all. Some of you think I'm too hard on ultra-endurance athletes. Others shared stories about how being able to run...

Most people think weighted vests are just another short-lived fitness trend, but the science paints a different picture. When used properly, they can boost metabolism, improve blood sugar control, and even help preserve bone density during weight loss. In this video, I break down what the research actually shows about weighted vest walking, strength training, and cardio, from how short, frequent b...