THIRST For More Podcast

Episode Summary Everybody owns a speed and agility ladder. Almost nobody asks whether it works. In this episode we put the most popular tool in youth and team sports under an evidence-based lens, and make the case that the way it is usually used may be leaving your athletes slower than their own potential. This is not ladder-bashing. It is a reframe: keep the tool, but stop calling it speed traini...

Episode Summary Most coaches use pogo hops as warm-up filler - and that is exactly why their athletes stay slow. In this complete guide, we break down the one little drill that builds reactive strength: the foundational, fast stretch-shortening-cycle quality that your big strength work will not give you on its own. You will learn the real science, the mistakes almost everyone makes, a full 5-stage...

Episode Summary You cannot debunk a client out of a fad diet. And every time you try, you lose. In this solo episode, we get into the conversation every coach handles badly: what to do when a client shows up excited about the latest fad diet. The instinct is to correct them. That instinct is what costs you the client. We cover why fad diets win (it is not about the food), what the research actuall...

Episode Summary Every coach has that client. The one who argues with every program, ghosts every third session, or texts you at midnight expecting an answer by breakfast. Your certification taught you anatomy and programming. It never taught you the hardest skill in this industry: people. In this solo episode, we retire the phrase "difficult client" for good. You'll learn why that label is quietly...

Episode Summary Most athletes finish the season slower, weaker, and more banged up than they started. That is not bad luck. It is a coaching decision with a delayed invoice. In this episode we go through exactly what the research says about holding onto strength, power, and speed across a full competitive season, why so-called maintenance done wrong is really just managed decline, and the step-by-...

Episode Summary The fitness industry sells periodization as complicated, sacred science. The research tells a very different story. In this episode of THIRST For More, we strip periodization down to what it actually is, walk through every major model, and look at what the peer-reviewed evidence really says about which one works best. Then we hand you a simple, defensible framework you can use with...

Episode Summary Eight of the most stubborn myths in the fitness industry, and the peer reviewed research that buries every one of them. This episode is for the coach, personal trainer, or gym owner who is tired of repeating bro science and ready to make evidence the standard of their practice. In this episode we break down why training to failure is not required for hypertrophy, why soreness is on...

Episode Summary Almost everything you have been taught about goal setting is incomplete. And in a coaching context, incomplete is dangerous. In this episode we go deeper than the certification material and examine what the psychology and performance research actually say about how humans set and pursue goals. We cover the neuroscience of dopamine and goal pursuit, the limitations of the SMART goal...

Episode Summary Most of the cutting edge strength training methods being sold on social media right now were invented 30, 50, even 2,500 years ago. In this episode of the THIRST For More Podcast, Brandon traces the full evolution of strength training. From Milo of Croton carrying a bull in ancient Greece, to Eugen Sandow and Bob Hoffman building American strength culture, to Arthur Jones and the N...

Episode Summary The fitness equipment industry is worth 14.7 billion dollars, and it has spent decades perfecting one message: better equipment produces better results. The peer-reviewed research says that is not how training adaptation works. In this solo episode, Brandon breaks down the evidence-based framework every fitness professional should be using to make equipment purchase decisions -- fr...

Episode Summary Most athletes train for years and never break through. Same program. Same coach. Same gym. Same plateau. In this episode, we break down the 7 behavioral habits backed by peer-reviewed research that consistently separate athletes who make major performance jumps from those who stagnate. This is not motivation content. This is evidence-based habit science applied to real athletic dev...

Episode Summary Most online trainers are paying for tools they don't need, skipping tools they do, and wondering why their business feels chaotic. In this episode, Brandon breaks down the exact technology stack an online coaching business actually needs — organized by tier, with direct recommendations grounded in business research and consumer psychology. No affiliate recommendations. No fluff. Ju...

Episode Summary Your price is not just a number. It is a positioning decision, a sustainability strategy, and a direct signal to the market about the quality of your work. In this episode, we break down why fitness professionals -- trainers, strength coaches, and gym owners -- are systematically undercharging, what the research and industry data actually reveal about trainer compensation, and the...

Episode Summary Is Joel Seedman the most dangerous influencer in the fitness industry? In this episode of the THIRST For More Podcast, we put his most prominent claims under the microscope -- including his 90-degree joint angle rule, his chaos training methodology, and the business model behind his Advanced Human Performance brand. This is not a rant. This is evidence-based analysis built for fitn...

Episode Summary Plyometric training is everywhere. Box jumps, depth drops, bounding — almost every athlete program includes them. But here's the inconvenient truth: most plyometric training produces gym results that never show up on the field, court, or track. In this episode, we dig into why that transfer gap exists and how to close it. The problem isn't that plyometrics don't work — the research...

Episode Summary Progressive overload is the cornerstone of every effective training program — and one of the most misrepresented concepts in the fitness industry. In this episode, we go beyond the oversimplified "just add weight" advice and break down seven evidence-based myths that are limiting gains and leading coaches to program ineffectively. Whether you're a strength coach, personal trainer,...

Episode Summary The recruiting pipeline is a multi-billion dollar industry selling families a dream that statistically almost never comes true. In this episode, I expose the economics behind recruiting platforms, showcase tournaments, and highlight reel services. I share what college coaches actually say about how they recruit (hint: 80% prefer a direct email over any platform), break down why les...

Episode Summary Imposter syndrome is one of the most common and least discussed challenges facing fitness professionals today. In this solo episode, we go deep on the psychology, the science, and the solutions — giving you a research-backed framework for managing the feeling that you’re not good enough, even when the evidence says otherwise. WHAT WE COVER The origins of imposter syndrome research...

Episode Summary Every year brings new fitness trends that promise to revolutionize training, optimize performance, and deliver better results. But which trends are backed by solid research and which are just clever marketing designed to sell courses and supplements? In this episode, I break down the biggest trends in the fitness industry right now using a simple three-question framework: Is there...

Episode Summary Most fitness professionals dramatically underserve their older adult clients by following outdated, overly cautious programming that has no research support. This episode challenges the conventional "senior fitness" model and provides evidence-based protocols for getting real results with aging populations. Episode Highlights: Understanding the actual physiological changes that occ...

Episode Summary This episode takes a different approach because the message is too important for coaches and parents to hear separately. Youth travel sports have transformed into a nineteen billion dollar industry that affects how millions of young athletes develop, and the disconnect between what coaches understand and what parents believe is creating problems for the kids caught in the middle. W...

Episode Summary Welcome to a special year-in-review episode where I'm pulling back the curtain on everything that happened with THIRST gym in 2025. This was my biggest growth year yet—crossing 6K YouTube subscribers, getting monetized, purchasing our own gym facility, and expanding across multiple platforms. But it wasn't all wins. I'm also sharing the setbacks, the expensive mistakes, and the har...

Episode Summary Most fitness certifications give you ONE chapter on nutrition, then send you into the real world where clients immediately ask about keto, intermittent fasting, and whether they need to eat 6 meals a day to "boost their metabolism." Sound familiar? This episode bridges the gap between what your certification taught you and what you actually need to know to confidently guide clients...

Episode Summary 80% of personal trainers quit within their first year—not because they lack knowledge, but because nobody prepared them for the reality of the job. In this episode, I break down the three critical phases of your first 90 days as a personal trainer and provide the tactical, real-world advice you need to build a sustainable, successful career in fitness. Whether you just got certifie...

Episode Summary Most athletes think getting faster is simple: just run more sprints. But that's only scratching the surface. In this episode, we dive deep into the REAL science of speed development—from neural adaptations and power production to biomechanics and the mental game that separates good athletes from elite speedsters. Whether you're a competitive athlete, weekend warrior, or coach looki...