The B.rad Podcast

In this episode, I talk about the modern tendency to obsess over “science says…” posts—like the viral claim that slapping your quadriceps ten times will wake up your motor cortex, spike your stretch reflex, and increase vertical jump by 18% and sprint speed by 12%. I describe why these numbers raised my hackles, walk through the reality of neural activation and theatrics w...

A friend recently asked, “What’s a good episode to start with?” for a basic overview of health and lifestyle optimization. Great question—and honestly, I didn’t have a good answer. So here it is! This show covers the basics from a big-picture perspective—the one to share with friends and loved ones. It’s not sciency or intimidating, just a simple, reasonab...

In this episode, I talk about why “inspiration is for amateurs,” and why discipline, motivation, and willpower are some of the most overrated concepts in the fitness world. We’re surrounded by grind-culture blowhards bragging about 4 a.m. wake-ups and superhuman discipline, but the real secret to becoming the person you want to be—on the track, in the gym, or in any area of...

In this episode, I talk about four simple but powerful ways to be more active in daily life. Experts now agree that your overall level of movement—not your formal workouts—is the single most important factor for long-term health. You can’t just hit your morning spin class and then sit around the rest of the day. In fact, research on the “Active Couch Potato Syndrome”...

In this episode, I dive deep into protein supplements—how to avoid crappy products loaded with questionable ingredients, and how to read labels like a pro. We break down how whey protein is made, why it’s the most potent and bioavailable protein powder, and why it’s far superior to plant-based sources. I also tackle the myths around protein timing and protein bars: you don’...

In this episode, I call out some dangerous and misguided fitness advice floating around on social media—like a post from a PhD in exercise physiology suggesting that everyone should go run for 45 minutes in 100-degree heat to boost their VO₂ max. Sure, the science on heat training is interesting and real, but context matters. For elite athletes training for world championships, carefully man...

In this episode, I revisit one of the most infamous press conferences in sports history—Allen Iverson’s legendary “practice” rant from 2002—and explain why I think he was actually right all along. Iverson’s words have lived on as a punchline for decades, but when you look closer, you realize he was speaking some deep truth about recovery, workload, and the impos...

I take you through the incredible story of Hicham El Guerrouj, the Moroccan middle-distance legend who was virtually unbeatable for nearly four years, only to face heartbreaking defeats at the Atlanta Olympics. I walk through the agony of those losses, the silver medal at 1500 meters, and the mental and physical toll of carrying the expectations of millions while chasing perfection. We get into ho...

In this episode, I talk about a couple of articles I saw recently about running in the heat—about heat acclimation and endurance training—that honestly kind of rubbed me the wrong way. So alert runners: we need to have a talk about this. I start by reading an excerpt from one of these popular running websites and unpacking some of the flawed assumptions behind this kind of messaging. Y...

I’m so excited to welcome Sean Brosnan to the B.rad podcast! Sean is the author of  Beyond Fast: How a Renegade Coach and His Unlikely High School Team Revolutionized Distance Running , written with Chris Lear and Andrew Grefe. And yes, it’s a book about running—about high school workouts, races, and championships—but it’s also so much more than that. In this epi...

In this show, I share 40 mind-blowing assertions to recalibrate modern fitness philosophy, inspired by content in the book Born to Walk , written by me and Mark Sisson. Walking is universally health-boosting, delivers excellent aerobic conditioning, stabilizes energy, mood, and appetite, and carries near zero overuse injury risk. In contrast, endurance running—even at a comfortable pace&mdas...

The foremost health authority, the contrarian, and voice of reason is spouting this level of misinformation, so I think it deserves the acronym: A-Y-F-K-M. Dr. Layne Norton, internet health influencer and self-titled Truth Seeker and debunker, has delivered the single worst piece of fitness advice imaginable. There is no more potentially destructive message to convey besides telling people to push...

In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. John Douillard, a leading expert in Ayurvedic medicine and founder of LifeSpa.com. I read his book  Body, Mind, and Sport about 20 years ago, and it was one of the first books I found that combined breath work and movement. With over 40 years of experience, Dr. John blends ancient Ayurvedic wisdom with modern science to help people achieve lasting heal...

In this episode, you’ll learn about the powerful role of friendship and connection in promoting physical, emotional, and even cognitive longevity. I sit down with longtime (40 years long!) friends Christy and Ana from the Girl, Can You Talk? podcast to explore their BOND method—Be Open, Offer Invitations, Nurture Consistency, and Deepen Through Vulnerability—a simple, intentional...

Please enjoy a great conversation with my friend and sprinting mentor Cynthia Monteleone, coming to you all the way from the beautiful big island of Hawaii. A Team USA world champion sprinter, Cynthia is also a highly trained metabolic health analytics practitioner who coaches numerous Olympic athletes and world champion masters-level athletes, and she goes deep into the nuances of what delivers p...

In this episode, I go through my deep and fascinating experience with the Stride health optimization program. You'll hear me walk through the six detailed reports from my DNA and microbiome testing—starting with the methylation report, where I had impaired efficiency in the folate cycle, methionine cycle, and BH4 cycle, and finally got a normal score in the transsulfuration pathway. I talk a...

In this episode, I take a hard look at the glorification of obsessive training habits in elite sport, using Michael Phelps’ famous claims—like eating 10,000 calories a day and not missing a single day of training for six straight years—as a springboard for discussion. You’ll learn how research from top performance labs has shown that these types of extreme regimens aren&rsq...

During this episode, I talk to former firefighter and chief breath officer of Jaspr, Wes Greenwood, about the unseen world of air quality and what’s really in the air we breathe—both indoors and out. You’ll learn how air filters like the Jasper actually catch pollution, what particulate matter is, how cooking (even clean, grass-fed steak) produces airborne compounds, and how most...

Please welcome Sasha Graham, the host of the Sports Will Save Us All podcast! What a great name for a show, and I had a great time being a guest on it—we had a wide ranging conversation and really hit it off as she hit me with some surprise questions, trying to put me on the spot…it was wonderful that I said, you know what—how about I bring you onto the  B.rad podcast? We t...

I welcome bestselling author Ben Azadi to the show on the occasion of the release of his new book called Metabolic Freedom: A 30-Day Guide to Restore Your Metabolism, Heal Hormones & Burn Fat. Of course, we get into all the important talking points about the ketogenic diet, intermittent fasting, how to lose body fat safely and sensibly, but this show is also going to be way more than you barga...

In this episode, I share my full DEXA scan results, including a visceral fat score of 0.38 pounds, which I’m determined to drop to “0.0 fricking zero” through sprinting—shown in research to preferentially burn visceral fat. My body fat is 21 pounds (12.5%), and I break down the fat and lean mass distribution throughout my body, including minor asymmetries. I was advised to...

In this episode, I sit down with my go-to expert for all things sports performance and injury recovery—Dr. Jonathan Sanburg, a highly respected physical therapist who’s changing the game when it comes to getting people back to peak performance. We dive into what’s truly cutting-edge in the industry right now: treating injuries from a fitness and athletic performance lens, instead...

This show was inspired by a very thoughtful question from a college-aged listener named Justin who wanted to know what my current training regimen is like, and if I believe zone two training is really necessary, if VO two max workouts are really necessary, and if I think he should just take up a sprinting regimen (since the sprinters seem to look the best and be the healthiest) ? Thanks, Justin, f...

In this episode, I break down the pros and cons of the popular practice of consuming energy bars as a supposedly nutritious snack on the go. The inspiration for this show was an exciting spicy battle between health experts Dr. Layne Norton and Gary Brecka on Instagram, where they debated the merits of the new David High Protein bar. I talk about the ingredients in these bars, the processing method...

Welcome to class! In this episode, we dive into the B.rad Nutrition Guide—a simple, practical, and totally free resource you can download at bradkearns.com. Print it out in full color, stick it on your fridge, and use this tiered ranking system to navigate the world’s most nutritious foods with ease. It’s really this simple: ditch the processed junk and aim for maximum dietary nu...