The Dr. Shannon Show

Should you always keep your body guessing? The answer is yes and no - it depends on your goal. There is a time and place for mixing it up, and there's also a time and place for keeping it the same. Listen to this week's episode to learn more. 0:45  Why mixing it up doesn’t solve a plateau  2:01  Muscle Confusion Myth  2:30  What stimulates muscle change  3:56  Neural Adaptation 5:58  How...

Today we are breaking down some common misleading fitness verbiage. Can you actually change the shape of your muscles or create longer muscles? Shannon breaks down what's actually happening in your body and what to expect from certain workouts. 8 free Evlo classes Follow Dr. Shannon on IG 14 day Evlo trial To try Evlo for 2 weeks free, visit www.evlofitness.com

Improving fitness can be overwhelming. With an abundance of information, where do you start? Your body operates as a system, and one process cannot be separated from another. If optimal fitness is your goal, understanding how some key systems and hormones work is key. We lean far too heavily on our workouts to drive results, and we don't put enough time into optimizing processes that are the...

Back pain is complex, and you want your workouts to be making your body stronger, not contributing to your back pain. Shannon breaks down common reasons for inflammation, and how to implement changes that could improve back pain. This episode is not medical advice - please seek an appointment with a medical practitioner before applying any of this information. The five basics podcast Podcast on nu...

There really isn't any secret - it's just that we match human anatomy with physics to create strong muscles with less joint wear and tear. In this episode, we talk all about mechanics of the deltoids and how to strengthen your arms in sustainable ways, and give you the tools to have less cost to the joints.  1:26 Why do Evlo members notice more muscle growth in their arms? 4:10  Targetin...

Better software makes for better functioning hardware.  In this episode, we're discussing how to improve your body's software (inputs via your visual system) to improve the hardware (your muscular system). Improving our visual and vestibular system can make it easier for us to see results from our workouts and will allow us more freedom of movement along the way. 3:00  Nervous system inp...

Today we are adding another layer of understanding of our bodies: female hormones.  Our guest, Krista Chernoff, is a nurse practitioner who discusses what hormones are, how they cycle as females, how to track those cycles, and how to exercise based on the phase of your cycle. 2:20  What are hormones and what do they do? 5:06  Why should women adapt their workouts to their hormones  8:34  What are...

The more connected you are to your muscles, the more effective your strength training workouts will be. You can use external resistance like weights and gravity to stress muscles, but you can also use internal resistance like recruiting motor units by flexing. In this episode, I walk you through what a motor unit is, how they are recruited, and a tool you can use to improve the recruitment of your...

Dr. Natasha is a medical doctor in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. She discusses the anatomy of the nervous system and how injury to the brain or body can affect your fitness routine. Follow Dr. Natasha on Instagram Follow Dr. Natasha on Tiktok Start your Evlo 14 day trial (limited time only) To try Evlo for 2 weeks free, visit www.evlofitness.com

Today we’re going to talk about something specific when it comes to aging - and that’s the tendency to develop insulin resistance as we age.  Insulin resistance is widespread, with some doctors claiming that most of the population has some level of insulin resistance. Insulin resistance is linked to many "age-related" diseases like heart disease and even dementia. Gaining muscle is one w...

Gentle consistency is the recipe to fitness success for your lifetime, but many people want results fast. This leads to burn-out and isn't sustainable. Here are four mistakes to avoid in the new year: Ramping intensity too quickly Doing workouts that cause too much overall fatigue, rather than specific fatigue to muscles Trying to use exercise as a fat loss tool Not having a plan These things...

Shannon is addressing some frequently asked questions in today's episode: How much cardio should I add? How much should I stretch?  Can I gain muscle without lifting super heavy? Tune in to hear her take on these FAQs! Sign up for our Evlo Foundations program (free for two weeks) Resources: Cardio podcast: HIIT Cardio podcast 2: steady state How to measure your recovery Study on HIIT dosage T...

Consistency is the currency for results if you follow five basic principles. The five basics for exercise results are:  Programming Exercise selection Progressive overload Nutrition Recovery If you get those things down, your body will get stronger. I explain each one of them in detail in this episode.  Many people don't apply these things, and therefore they don't stay consistent, get i...

We spend a lot of time talking about what to do IN your workouts for great results without wearing down your joints. But what should we be doing outside of your workouts to make sure your workouts are creating the strongest impact? It turns out, the time outside of your workouts is equally as important as the workouts themselves. Recovery is 50% of the equation. So that means the efficacy of your...

In this episode, I'll talk about how using your nervous system to recruit more fibers can improve your results, even if you aren't adding more resistance.  For the general fitness community - and what I recommend to my clients - is to set a goal of hypertrophy in their workouts. This means your muscles are increasing in size, which helps improve all sorts of health measures like insulin...

It's all too normal to feel guilty about enjoying your favorite holiday treats and try to "burn it off" the next day in your workout. In this episode, I'll discuss why this isn't recommended or effective. I'll talk about why it leads to burnout and how it actually isn't likely to increase your overall deficit and make a dent in burning extra calories. Let's...

Free week of Evlo classes Dr. Shannon's IG Start your Evlo membership trial If you feel like you’re doing everything right - putting in work at the gym, you’re trying to eat less, and still not seeing results - it COULD be because of cortisol imbalance. In this episode, I want to explain how too much exercise and too little eating can have the reverse effects that you’re hoping for because of...

Shannon always preaches how vital nutrition is and that you shouldn't rely on your workouts to burn off what you ate or even be your primary weight-loss tool. Workouts should build your muscle and improve your cardiovascular system, but without proper nutrition, your workouts can't be as effective at creating a fit, strong body.  There is a nutrition program on the Evlo membership that w...

I know fitness watches can be very beneficial for some.  But for many exercise enthusiasts, they can cause unrealized issues. Today, I'll discuss those issues and why to consider ditching your fitness watch.  Here are three reasons to consider ditching your fitness watch: Tracking calories burned from your workouts isn't as effective as we think Fitness watches can potentially mess with...

Different workouts can have different effects on our bodies.  Today, I'll discuss how different muscle fibers are called into action and how stimulating these fibers affect your body composition.  Your type one fibers are your endurance fibers. They are smaller, and although important, are less likely to improve body composition.  Your time two fibers are larger and more powerful but only eng...

In this episode, Dr. Shannon was interviewed on the Happy Nervous System Podcast with Kendra Delahooke.  She talks about how fitness marketing has made us believe un-true things about what our workouts need to look like. 6:33  How marketing has affected the fitness industry  14:03  Top exercise myths  19:15  Counting calories  24:07  Pushing through the pain  26:02   Getting started with a new fit...

A reset week can be exactly what you need to kick a plateau.  A reset week is when you take a full week off your workouts. It can be extremely effective at allowing your muscles to fully heal, and you'll come back to your workouts stronger. Here's how to know it may be time for a reset week:  You've been consistently strength training for 12 or more weeks, BUT you feel like you&apos...

Why am I not a fan of running as a form of exercise?  Well, first, it depends on why you're running.  Are you running because it clears your head, is meditative, makes you feel good and accomplished?  Amazing, carry on. I don't want to discourage you from running if these are your reasons.  But many pick up running because they want to improve their fitness, burn off what they ate, or lo...

You won't see a lot of heavy squats and deadlifts in Evlo, and it's for a few specific reasons. In this episode, Dr. Shannon breaks down the physics of squats and deadlifts and provides examples of how step-ups are more effective for the glutes and less risky for the spine. 3:36  The Gluteus Maximus connection to metabolism  5:30  Why we don’t do deadlifts and squats  9:07  Why we do bod...

Stress can affect how your body recovers and benefits from exercise. When you're particularly stressed, that is NOT the time to switch things up, avoid moving altogether or ramp up the intensity. All those things will backfire.  In today's episode, Dr. Shannon discusses how the neuroendocrine system responds to stress and best practices for exercising during a particularly mentally stres...