The Never Too Old to Lift Podcast

🎙️ Episode 30: Welcome to November's live Q&A podcast episode! In this episode, I share insightful new research that challenges WHO guidelines on physical activity, answer your questions about hamstring exercises after weight loss, improving shoulder flexibility, and debunk common strength training myths. ⏰ TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Introduction and How to Participate 01:38 Insightful New Research on...

🎙️ Episode 29: In this episode, I'm sharing a conversation with Christien Bird, a women's health physiotherapist and menopause expert. This interview took place at Therapy Expo last November - before the podcast existed - but the insights were too useful not to bring to you now. What We Cover: Christien and I discuss why menopause creates significant barriers to exercise, particularly strength tra...

🎙️ Episode 28: "I did yoga for 30 years, played tennis, and exercised daily - so why was I exhausted?" Meet Jan, a yoga teacher who thought she had fitness figured out. With 30 years of yoga practice, regular tennis matches, and daily cardio sessions, she was doing everything "right." Then menopause hit, and despite her active lifestyle, she felt like someone had switched her off. In this conversa...

🎙️ Episode 27: Why do 70% of people quit their exercise routine within six weeks - and more importantly, how can you be part of the 30% who succeed? In this episode, I'm sharing a conversation I recorded last year with Andrew McCauley for the Never Too Old to Lift YouTube channel, but before the podcast had started. We were both speakers at the Therapy Expo conference and Andrew kindly gave up his...

🎙️ Episode 26: Matthew McConaughey said on the Modern Wisdom podcast that everyone's become obsessed with living longer and forgotten about living better. As a physiotherapist, I frequently see this playing out in my clinic. Patients come in asking about supplements, continuous glucose monitors, red light therapy, special mattresses, etc. But when I ask what they're currently doing, they're not me...

🎙️ Episode 25: Welcome to my October live Q&A podcast episode, where I answer five practical questions about strength training for older adults.  🎯 What You'll Learn: In this session, I answer real listener questions covering everything from my personal training approach to reassuring worried family members. Whether you're tracking your workouts, wondering about cardio, or facing resista...

🎙️ Episode 24: Did you know that breast-related concerns are the fourth highest reason women cite for not meeting physical activity guidelines - ranking higher than cost or facility access?  In this eye-opening episode, Chris interviews Siobhan Donovan, aka "The Booby Physio," to explore a barrier to exercise that affects women of all breast sizes but is rarely discussed openly. Siobhan, a ph...

🎙️ Episode 23: A patient told me she wasn't strong enough to start strength training. Then I reminded her that I'd just watched her stand up from a chair without using her hands, pick up a heavy backpack from the floor, carry it across the room, and sit back down while holding the bag. She'd just performed a squat, deadlift, suitcase carry, and weighted squat without realising it. If you've ever t...

🎙️ Episode 22: "I thought weights were for men." That's what Linda believed her entire life. With both knees replaced, both shoulders replaced, and her spine fused from T11 down, she'd never considered herself a "gym person." Her friend Mary, also a retired nurse, felt the same way. After surviving breast cancer, open heart surgery, and a carotid artery procedure all within nine months, exercise w...

🎙️ Episode 21: Welcome to my September live Q&A episode, where I tackle three important questions about strength training for older adults. This episode covers essential topics from osteoporosis, slant boards, and when to change your program. 🎯 What You'll Learn: In this comprehensive session, I address real listener questions covering osteoporosis management, specialised training equipment,...

🎙️ Episode 20: Steve's Strength Journey at 71 Meet Steve, a 71-year-old, who proves it's never too late to start strength training. In this inspiring conversation, Steve shares his honest journey from complete beginner to confidently preparing for his grandson-lifting goals - all in just 18 weeks. What You'll Learn: How Steve overcame gym intimidation and started with "snacktivities" at home Why a...

🎙️ Episode 19: The #1 objection I hear from people interested in strength training? "I don't want to join a gym." If this sounds like you, this episode is exactly what you need to hear. In this solo episode, physiotherapist Chris Tiley tackles the biggest barrier stopping older adults from getting stronger - the fear of gyms and uncertainty about home workouts. You'll discover why starting at home...

🎙️ Episode 18: Ever felt like you're just "not a gym person"? This episode will change your mind. Join Chris as he interviews Betsy Spieler, a physical therapist with over 25 years of experience specialising in older adults. Betsy runs "UBStronger55+" a comprehensive strength training program that's helping people over 55 discover they're already stronger than they think. In this practical episode...

🎙️ Episode 17:  August Q&A Welcome to the August Q&A session! While this episode was originally planned as a live session, childcare challenges meant I've recorded it to ensure I could still address all your important questions about strength training for older adults. 🎯 What You'll Learn: In this comprehensive session, I tackle five great questions that came in, which cover key aspe...

🎙️ Episode 16: Feel lost and overwhelmed by all the conflicting strength training advice online? This episode is your roadmap home. If you've ever walked into a gym feeling completely confused about where to start, or scrolled through endless YouTube videos wondering which exercises are actually safe for you, you're not alone. In this episode, physiotherapist Chris Tiley breaks down the 7-step fra...

🎙️ Episode 15: If you're a woman over 40 who's been putting off strength training or struggling to stick with exercise, this episode is one that you won't want to miss. I'm joined by Michelle Lyons, a physiotherapist with over 30 years of experience specialising in women's health, who reveals why conventional fitness advice fails women during perimenopause and menopause - and what actually works i...

🎙️ Episode 14: Have you ever wondered why some people seem to effortlessly maintain their strength training routine while others constantly start and stop? The answer isn't about motivation, willpower, or being a "gym person" - it's about having the right system in place. In this episode, physiotherapist Chris Tiley breaks down James Clear's powerful principle from Atomic Habits: "You do not rise...

🎙️ Episode 13: In this powerful episode, Chris Tiley sits down with Shirley Stewart, a 58-year-old fitness coach whose story perfectly embodies the message that you're never too old to get stronger, no matter what challenges life presents. Shirley's journey spans three distinct phases: from early bodybuilding days through teaching fitness classes, to navigating menopause and unexpected weight gain...

🎙️ Episode 12: 🏋️‍♀️ Never Too Old to Lift - July Live Q&A with Physiotherapist Chris Tiley Welcome to my July live Q&A session, where I tackle your most important questions about strength training for older adults. Whether you're just starting out or looking to progress safely, this episode provides practical, evidence-based guidance tailored specifically for mature adults. 🎯 What You'll...

🎙️ Episode 11: Have you ever caught yourself saying "I'm just not a gym person" or "I can't do strength training"? In this episode, physiotherapist Chris Tiley reveals why our limiting beliefs work exactly like furniture in our minds - and why simply rearranging that furniture isn't enough. Using a powerful table analogy, Chris explains how we unconsciously become "evidence collectors" for our lim...

🎙️ Episode 10: In this inspiring episode of the Never Too Old to Lift podcast, host Chris welcomes Kim, who began her strength training journey at age 62. After years of avoiding weights due to fears of "getting bulky," Kim shares how a health scare and the inability to pull herself back into a boat while on holiday motivated her to build strength. Kim details her remarkable 12-week transformation...

🎙️ Episode 9: Are you wondering which exercises to include in your strength training program? In this episode of The Never Too Old to Lift Podcast, Chris breaks down the fundamental movement patterns that form the foundation of effective strength training for older adults. What You'll Learn: - Movement patterns vs. isolation exercises - which should you prioritise? - Why functional movement patter...

🎙️ Episode 8: Welcome to this comprehensive live Q&A session where physiotherapist Chris Tiley tackles your most pressing questions about strength training for older adults. Whether you're dealing with medical conditions, recovering from surgery, or just starting your fitness journey, this episode provides expert guidance tailored specifically for mature adults. 🎯 What You'll Learn: In this e...

🎙️ Episode 7: While it's true that you can build muscle strength at any age, starting strength training in your 50s, 60s, and beyond comes with unique challenges that make the journey more difficult than it would have been in your younger years. In this episode, Chris addresses the real barriers that older adults face when beginning their strength training journey. What You'll Learn: - Limiting Be...

🎙️ Episode 6: "I feel more confident wherever I go. I feel stronger... I stand taller. I just now have a different air about me." In this inspiring episode of The Never Too Old to Lift podcast, host Chris interviews Elizabeth, who transformed from a self-described "happy couch potato" into an avid lifter and strength advocate in her late 60s. Elizabeth shares her remarkable journey that began at a...