Autonomy by GMB Fitness

Ask a question "Progressive overload" is a principle in training that says you need to continually add greater stimulus to an exercise to keep seeing a training effect. And it makes sense. To get stronger, you need to continue pushing your body. But the history of popular fitness has instilled a bias here that overload can only be achieved via a handful of training variables, primarily l...

Ask a question If you've tried something new even once in your life, you might be familiar with falling flat on your face, possibly literally. In this episode, Ryan chats with David 'Jacko' Jackson and Tim Stevenson, founders of School of Calisthenics. They talk in-depth about how they developed their philosophy of "redefining your impossible" by exploring your physical po...

Ask a question We get a lot of questions about Recovery which is not surprising, given how much information there is out there.  There's no easy way to cut through all the noise since Recovery is and should be subjective, but in this episode, we break down: why Recovery is not separate from your training how only you can decide what you need the importance of tracking your baseline common rec...

Ask a question We've all been there -- schedules and routines change, and we can't fit in our regular workout. Rather than trying to stick to your routine amidst a big project, the holidays, or a busy time, tailor your workouts to better serve you. In this episode, we talk about: changing your mindset when your needs change specific adjustments you can make to your training how to plan i...

Ask a question Have you ever Googled a topic and been overwhelmed by the sheer amount of products that are supposed to solve your problem? Or underwhelmed by the lack of real answers? In this episode, Andy chats with Andy Morgan of Rippedbody.com about why helpful information doesn't sell, and how to figure out what to do based on your own needs.  We cover a variety of simple yet effective gu...

Ask a question You want to be able and ready, not just good at working out. Readiness means going beyond just capability so you can actually access and apply your skills and abilities when needed. Chances are, you don't wear sweats and trainers all day, so you really have to stop a moment and think about how your clothes limit you. That why we say that if you can't perform a skill you&ap...

Ask a question DOMS. Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness. You don't like them, and they don't like you, but if you're training your body at all, you're going to have to learn to live with each other. There's tons of myths about muscle soreness. Some people think they're the surest sign of a good workout (they're wrong). Others seem to think they indicate overtraining (...

Ask a question Balance is one of those things most people don't realize they can improve - or even that they might need to improve . . . until they start trying to learn different ways to move.  The fact is most people don't have a problem with balance so long as they stick to normal activities. But when you're outside your comfort zone, things change. Luckily, balance is very train...

Ask a question When we think about fitnessing, a relative few activities come to mind. Weightlifting, running, cycling, swimming, jumping rope, etc. Why? Mostly because they're very efficient at producing very predictable results.  But they also leave some things out, especially: non-linear, off-center, and multi-planar movements continuing skill development Now, we're not saying you sho...

Ask a question Anyone experiencing anxiety lately . . . ? Congratulations, you're human. The good news is you're definitely not alone. Studies show that anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the US affecting 1 in 5 people every year and  that 1 in 3 will experience an anxiety disorder at some point in their lives. Things like pandemics can lead to higher feelings of str...

Ask a question When people start with GMB, we almost always recommend starting with Elements. It's our broadest and most foundational program, and it's structured to provide a scalable challenge to just about any level. But what happens after that? This is one of the top five questions we get from active clients, and the answer depends on a few things. Many people repeat Elements. Some u...

Ask a question The diet world teaches us that beating ourselves up about food and our body is what "motivates" us. We've been taught that feeling badly enough will help us hit our goals. Of course, beating ourselves up didn't work the last time. And it didn't work the time before that. It's never worked. Yet, we still keep getting sold the same lie. In this episode, y...

Ask a question There's not a more cliché phrase in all of fitness, but here goes: if you want to improve, you have to push yourself.  Pushing yourself is hard, and it can be counterproductive too. In fact, we've devoted a lot of carbon dioxide in past episodes to talking about some of the ways pushing yourself - too hard, too often, or just in the wrong way - can cause problems. So consi...

Ask a question 'Mindfulness' is one of those words that can sound really out there, but improving mind-body awareness can have a profound impact on how you experience the world and your sense of security in your body. Jenn Pilotti is a GMB Trainer who's been coaching for well over a decade and just has a ton of education and experience under her belt. She's just released a new...

Ask a question Have you ever felt limited by joint pain? The truth is, very few of us haven't experienced injury, stiffness, or pain in our joints. And unfortunately, many of us are given diagnoses like 'tendonitis' without any hope for recovery.  In this episode, we chat with Steven Low, author of Overcoming Gravity, Overcoming Poor Posture, and now Overcoming Tendonitis, about how...

Ask a question With so many people now trying to exercise at home, we're hearing more and more often how challenging it can be if you're used to having more space and a specialized environment. But there's a lot to be gained from learning to use the space you have.  Not much room Bad flooring? Family or roommates?  None of these are deal breakers. This episode is focused on preparin...

Ask a question You've likely heard a lot of different ideas about stretching: how it doesn't work, how it makes you weak, or how you'll hurt yourself if you do it 'cold.'  In this episode, Jarlo and Rose discuss and dispel myths and seemingly conflicting information about stretching, including tips for who should stretch, when to stretch, and how to stretch. We also cover:...

Ask a question Which is better for pull-ups - rings or bar? As in most things, there's only one right answer, and it's completely obvious. Just kidding... we're actually gonna give everybody's least favorite answer on this one: it depends.  But why? What does it depend on?  If you're just learning pull-ups (going from zero to your very first pull-up), what's the best...

Ask a question Sure, being tall has its benefits, but when it comes to skill work certain movements can seem always out of reach, even when you tower over everyone else.  Ryan and Jeff talk about why some skills are harder when you are tall and how you can train toward them anyway. They cover common obstacles and injuries you may run into and how you can use the GMB Method and smart programming to...

Ask a question When you think of leg strength, squats and deadlifts (rightly) come to mind. And if you think of bodyweight leg exercises at all, it's probably as a (poor) substitute. But very athletic movements happen with both feet firmly planted on the ground. Enter single-leg training. It's not just "something to do if you don't have a squat rack." This episode is about...

Ask a question In Part 1, we gave an overview of how the spine works and talked about the low back. Back bone’s connected to some other bones, so this time, we’ll talk about the thoracic spine and how to keep your back healthy and pain-free.  In this second episode on the Spine, we cover: why chronic pain happens more frequently in the thoracic and neck how posture and ergonomics actually affect p...

Ask a question Until fairly recently, pelvic health was a topic that didn’t get a lot of love. That’s partly because it’s complex, and partly (sadly) because some of the issues are embarrassing for people to talk about.  If you’ve been concerned about your pelvic health (and you should be), this episode is for you. Jarlo talks with GMB Trainers and movement specialists JJ Thomas and Jenn Pilotti a...

Ask a question This is gonna be the most annoying discussion of core exercises ever. A few things we're not gonna tell you: how many crunches you should be able to do how long to hold the hollow body or what the next progression is how many abs Ryan has What we will teach you in this episode is a thousand times more useful. If you wanna learn why almost zero training systems feature tons of d...

Ask a question The spine is needed in every movement we do, which is why we get more questions about back pain and back issues than almost anything else. In this two part series, Jarlo and Rose look at the spine and answer some of the most-asked questions. In this episode, we cover: basic anatomy and actions of the spine why so many people have back pain and spine issues protective mechanisms, how...

Ask a question The biggest issue most folks have with nutrition isn’t finding the right diet, it’s stress eating.  We all know that stress impacts our ability to make good choices, and we know that stress is a fact of life. Since we can't avoid it, you need a system to eat the right foods, _despite_ inevitable stress. In this podcast, Ryan and Josh present just the thing: two simple guideline...