Fitness Pollenator

Guardian of Science [The Fitness Devil Podcast]

travis@fitnesspollenator.com (Travis Pollen) — Sat, 6 Oct 2018 13:10:00 -0700

The other day I had the great pleasure of appearing on the Fitness Devil Podcast with hosts Andrew Coates and Dean Guedo. Over the course of an hour, we spanned topics like

Injury prevention for gym goers and athletes
The utility of core training
My Paralympic swimming career
"Good" and "bad" exercises (for people over 50)
Misinformation in the fitness industry
Strategies for improving fitness professionals' communication with the masses

The episode, titled "Guardian of Science," is available now at the following link (or wherever you download podcasts):

https://engineeredperformance.ca/dean-guedo/podcast/travis-pollen-guardian-of-science/

Are There Good and Bad Exercises? [Lift the Bar Podcast]

travis@fitnesspollenator.com (Travis Pollen) — Wed, 21 Feb 2018 07:41:00 -0800

Three years ago, I almost quit school for good. I’d become disillusioned with biomechanics and academia in general. Hardly anyone in my master’s program was talking about the topics I was interested in — athletes and sports science — and it seemed like all the research dollars were going towards geriatrics and disease.

As I took some time off from school to reflect on my career trajectory, my path slowly started to take shape. I realized my true passion was bridging the gaps between training and rehabilitation as well as research and practice.

It wasn’t long after that I met my current mentors and started my PhD program in Rehabilitation Sciences — a subject area ideally suited for my aptitudes and interests.

In this program, I’m able to do the exact research that gets me excited — research on athletes, pre-participation screening, and injury risk. As clichéd as it may sound, it hardly feels like work when you’re doing what you love.

One of the coolest parts of this whole process has been taking what I’m learning in the research and sharing it with people in the field who can use it and apply it in their daily work. That’s what it’s all about.

So when Stuart Aitken, host of Lift the Bar podcast, contacted me recently to appear on the podcast and talk about this stuff, I was tickled. Moreover, I was blown away by how thoughtful his questions were. It was like he had ESP in terms of asking me about all the topics I’ve been mulling over for the last couple of years.

Here's a taste of what we covered in the podcast:

Should we label exercises as bad and good?
Should we do an assessment with our clients?
How should we make the client feel during an assessment?
Static postural assessments — are these useful?
How to help clients who are worried about posture
What to do with the information we obtain from an assessment
Is the Functional Movement Screen useful?

If you're interested in taking the podcast for a spin, it's available on iTunes as well as the Lift The Bar website:

https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/ltb-podcast/id1194501091

http://liftthebarpodcast.libsyn.com/ltbp-92-travis-pollen-good-and-bad-exercises-personal-training-assessments

Adapting and Overcoming [Travis Mash's Barbell Life]

travis@fitnesspollenator.com (Travis Pollen) — Thu, 20 Jul 2017 18:52:00 -0700

What’s the one thing that could be better than having one Travis on a podcast? Having two!

Thanks to Travis Mash of The Barbell Life Podcast, we were able to make this dream a reality.

In this podcast, we discussed

My life story (or at least the cliff notes version)
My quest for the Paralympics and how it led me first to personal training and now to my PhD
How I approach new clients
Advice on growing an internet presence
The most important skills trainers should have
And much more!

The episode is available for your listening enjoyment on iTunes and Spreaker:

Listen to "158 - Adapting and Overcoming with Travis Pollen" on Spreaker.

PSI Unscripted Podcast

travis@fitnesspollenator.com (Travis Pollen) — Sun, 27 Mar 2016 11:18:00 -0700

Last week I joined my friend Chris Price for the inaugural episode of his podcast, PSI Unscripted, where -- as you can guess from the name of the podcast -- our 30-minute conversation was completely impromptu.

I was a little apprehensive about not knowing the conversation topics ahead of time, but fortunately, Chris didn't stump me with any tough questions.

Over the course of the podcast, we dug into

My background as an athlete, trainer, and student
The meaning of biomechanics and basic applications to training
"Cheating" (an advanced technique to add extra reps to the end of a set)
"HIT" (high intensity training)
Not having enough time to exercise
Hammering the basics, especially bodyweight exercise, as a beginner
The pros and cons of Planet Fitness
My weekly #FormCheckFriday videos on Facebook
Regressing and progressing the deadlift via a dowel rod hip hinge and/or rack pull
My e-book

I had a great time chatting with Chris. I hope you'll give the show a listen:

>>https://goo.gl/xHPMM2

Podcast Ep. 12: Movement Resilience with Matt Ibrahim

travis@fitnesspollenator.com (Travis Pollen) — Wed, 9 Mar 2016 11:35:00 -0800

Welcome back for Episode 12 of the Fitness Pollenator Podcast. On this episode, I have on my first repeat guest, Matt Ibrahim. I had Matt about a year ago for Episode 4. If you haven’t listened to that one yet, do it!

Matt is the founder of Movement Resilience (formerly Mobility 101), which has a specific mission of helping people build resilient movement and resilient strength to continue doing what they love most: move.

He's a part of the sports medicine team at Boston Physical Therapy & Wellness, where he serves as a strength & conditioning coach and physio rehab coach. This July, he will receive his license in massage therapy.

He's also a provider for ClinicalAthlete through founder, Quinn Henoch, which is a team of healthcare professionals bridging the gap from rehab to performance for athletes.

Over the course of the episode, we talk shop on the following points:

Matt's rebrand from Mobility 101 to Movement Resilience
Finishing up massage school, along with how he plans to use his new skills
The importance of speaking to the client and not other fitness professionals
The screening process and what happens if there's pain
"Corrective exercise"
Breathing (see this video)
And more!

We also addressed several questions from the audience, including

The best way to gain flexibility after being stuck in bed for a year and being a new amputee
Big spoon, little spoon, and movement variability
Beer and curls (this discussion point was a little flat, as neither of us are heavy drinkers)

Listen to the entire episode on iTunes or click here:

https://googledrive.com/host/0BweoQIuhXZAqcVpYLWRPVWJiOUU/ep12mattibrahim.mp3

For more from Matt and Movement Resilience, head over to his website, movementresilience.com, and like him on social media:

Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube

Podcast Ep. 11 - Barry Fritz + 8 Hypertrophy Lessons from a Veteran Lifter [Muscle & Strength]

travis@fitnesspollenator.com (Travis Pollen) — Sun, 24 Jan 2016 19:30:00 -0800

Anyone who’s ever spent time around him knows he’s something special.

Maybe it's his brilliance when it comes to the human body, or perhaps it’s his unassuming nature. I say it’s both. He might be the smartest guy in the room, but he’d be the last person to tell you so.

His name is Barry Fritz, and he's the instructor at the National Personal Training Institute of Philadelphia, the school where I earned my diploma in personal training.

A few weeks ago, I was lucky enough to interview Barry for an article for Muscle & Strength on building muscle. With Barry's 40+ years of experience, it's always a pleasure to hear what he has to say.

To read the article, click the following link:

https://www.muscleandstrength.com/content/8-hypertrophy-lessons-veteran-lifter

To listen to the complete 50-minute interview, click below to listen to Episode 11 of the Fitness Pollenator Podcast:

https://googledrive.com/host/0BweoQIuhXZAqWTBVRlBGWnQ3V2M/ep11barryfritz.mp3

You can also find the transcript to the entire interview below:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_YtLzHjhU1xZomEezQNKv3Sq0Yg4T0mMWHP4tDS4qKY/edit?usp=sharing

Podcast Ep. 10 - Eric Bach & Marc Lewis

travis@fitnesspollenator.com (Travis Pollen) — Thu, 7 Jan 2016 19:07:00 -0800

For Episode 10 of the Fitness Pollenator Podcast, I have a double whammy. That's right -- I have on not one but TWO awesome guests: Eric Bach and Marc Lewis.

Eric (left) is a chiseled strength and conditioning coach based in Denver, Colorado. Marc (right) is working on his PhD in exercise physiology at UNC-Greensboro. (He's also chiseled, but you'll have to take my word for it.)

In this episode, we run the gamut of topics, including:

The biggest differences between training athletes and training the general population
What online training is and whom it's for -- beginners or intermediate lifters?
Eric's bread and butter: Front squats (!)
Marc's bread and butter: Concurrent training (i.e. simultaneous aerobic and strength training)
Eric's recent T-Nation article:

Shut Up and Get Strong

Eric and my recent two-part series:

Marc's upcoming article on strength training for endurance athletes

Stay tuned for the link to this one in the coming weeks

Listen to the episode now at the following link:

>>https://goo.gl/AwUugn

And subscribe to the podcast on iTunes if you haven't already.

New episodes are on deck for 2016, including the return of Mobility 101's Matt Ibrahim (way back from Episode 4)!

Podcast Ep. 9 - Betsy Lane

travis@fitnesspollenator.com (Travis Pollen) — Mon, 28 Dec 2015 04:57:00 -0800

http://www.girlswithmuscle.com/373012/Betsy-Lane

In Episode 9 of the Fitness Pollenator Podcast, I'm joined by an amazing guest: Betsy Lane. Betsy is a longtime friend, avid bodybuilder, and soon-to-be doctor of physical therapy (after she passes her boards, of course!).

In this episode, Betsy and I discuss

Her background, going back to the stroke she had as a kid
How she trains around her challenges
The interplay between physical therapy and bodybuilding
Nutritional secrets
Betsy's blossoming writing career
Common issues Betsy sees in the clinic
And so much more!

Watch the episode here:

Listen to the episode here:

https://googledrive.com/host/0BweoQIuhXZAqWC01aGc3ZzFJUFk/ep9betsylane.mp3

(Or subscribe to the podcast on iTunes.)

For more on Betsy, check out the Q&A we did last year:

http://www.fitnesspollenator.com/2014/02/athlete-spotlight-q-w-figure-girl-betsy.html

Podcast Ep. 8 - Chris Leib

travis@fitnesspollenator.com (Travis Pollen) — Sun, 20 Dec 2015 16:57:00 -0800

In Episode 8 of the Fitness Pollenator Podcast, I welcome Dr. Chris Leib. I met Chris about a year ago at a workshop he did at our mutual friend Tom DeVietro’s gym. (As an aside, Tom happened to be the very first guest of this podcast, so if you haven’t listened to episode 1, you should!)

Not only is Chris a doctor of physical therapy, but he’s also a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist. While at Chris’s workshop, I was completely blown away by his hybrid approach to training, in which he fuses physical therapy, CrossFit, kettlebells, and more.

As I’ve gotten to know Chris, one of my favorite things about him is his voracious appetite for learning and assimilating new information. Lately, he can be found splitting his time between the physical therapy clinic, the personal training setting, and writing about exercise.

In this episode, Chris and I talk about...

What drew him to CrossFit originally, and why he keeps coming back
How he integrates diverse mobility approaches like FMS and Mobility WOD
Scientific vs. anecdotal evidence
PT and S&C scopes of practice
The Power-Strength-Endurance (PSE) Method
Continuing education
His upcoming Movement Education Series
And so much more!

Watch the episode right here:

Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, or listen to this episode through the following link:

https://googledrive.com/host/0BweoQIuhXZAqOTJrS2g5M25oZjg/ep8chrisleib.mp3

For more on Chris, visit the following links:

Website

Facebook
YouTube

Podcast Ep. 7 - Jason Helmes, Anyman Fitness

travis@fitnesspollenator.com (Travis Pollen) — Sat, 31 Oct 2015 01:59:00 -0700

By day, Jason Helmes is just a regular guy. He teaches math to middle schoolers; he has a wife and two kids. He is exceptionally tall (6 feet, 8 inches), but we won't hold that against him.

By night, he's the boss at Anyman Fitness, an online community for people "who want to learn to lean out, live well, and improve themselves permanently."

To date Jason has helped thousands of people reach their goals, and it's no wonder, given his teaching background and incredible ability to simplify fitness and nutrition. He's also a really nice guy, which probably helps.

I was fortunate enough to get Jason on for Episode 7 of the Fitness Pollenator (Video) Podcast. Over the course of the episode, Jason Helmes and I discuss

How he went from jock to jiggly to jacked again
The availability bias and the difference between popular and evidence-based fitness
Making fitness a lifestyle and how anyone can do it
The importance of meal planning
How being both a teacher and mathematically-minded helps Jason as a coach
His eight month diet in preparation for a summer photo shoot
Whether or not "bulking" and "cutting" cycles are necessary
Why being bodybuilder lean is neither healthy nor sustainable
The advantages and disadvantages of being an exceptionally tall lifter
Avoiding "lifestyle bloat"
Jason's secret for building a successful (online) business
And more

This is one you absolutely do not want to miss!

Watch the episode on YouTube or right here:

You can also listen to the audio HERE.

For more on Jason and Anyman Fitness, download his e-book (Livin' The Dream) off his website, www.anymanfitness.com. Be sure to follow Anyman Fitness on Facebook, as well.

Podcast Ep. 6 - Kevin Mullins Fitness

travis@fitnesspollenator.com (Travis Pollen) — Mon, 19 Oct 2015 13:14:00 -0700

Curious what it's like to be a TWO-TIME finalist in the Men's Health Next Top Trainer search? How about being selected as one of Women's Health Magazine's Ten Insanely In-Shape Male Trainers?

Meet personal trainer Kevin Mullins

In Episode 6 of the Fitness Pollenator (Video) Podcast, I chat with personal trainer Kevin Mullins of Washington, DC, and get answers to the above questions and so much more, including

How Kevin came to be a personal trainer and strength coach
The biggest mistakes trainers and coaches make
Why habit-based nutrition trumps a cut-and-dry diet plan
How Kevin became active in the fitness blog-o-sphere
What supersets are and how best to combine exercises
Which of Kevin's many continuing education certifications he finds the most useful

Watch the episode on YouTube or right here:

To listen to just the audio from this podcast, click here.

For more on Kevin Mullins, head over to his website, www.kevinmullinsfitness.com, and follow him on Twitter (@FFTrainingKevin).

Side Quest Podcast: Coaches Corner: A Discussion On Nutrition

travis@fitnesspollenator.com (Travis Pollen) — Sat, 22 Aug 2015 20:02:00 -0700

Confused about nutrition?

You're not alone.

Luckily, a few of my trainer friends and I recently jumped on the Side Quest Podcast to clear the air on exactly what you need to know -- and don't need to know -- about nutrition.

Listen to the episode, Coaches Corner: A Discussion On Nutrition, here:

http://www.sidequestfitness.com/podcast/coaches-corner-nutrition

Or get it on iTunes here:

https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/side-quest-podcast/id927795072?mt=2&ign-mpt=uo%3D4

Podcast Ep. 5: Side Quest Fitness with Robbie Farlow

travis@fitnesspollenator.com (Travis Pollen) — Sat, 4 Apr 2015 11:53:00 -0700

Robbie Farlow showing off his chesticles.

Side Quest Fitness's Robbie Farlow and I had such a marvelous time chatting on his podcast last week that we decided to get together once again (virtually) for an episode of the Fitness Pollenator Podcast!

In this episode, we discuss all your and my burning questions for Robbie, including

How Robbie went from theater major to meathead trainer
Why Robbie started the Side Quest Podcast (the Unofficial Podcast of Fitocracy)
What Fitocracy is
Robbie's favorite Side Quest Podcast guest
Robbie's biggest training influences
The connection between fitness and marriage
And much, much more!

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AhgolMLU72k)

For just the audio version of this podcast, click here.

In case you missed my interview with Robbie for his podcast, you can listen to it out here:

http://www.sidequestfitness.com/podcast/2015/3/29/interview-with-travis-pollen

I also recommend subscribing to the Side Quest Podcast on iTunes here so you can listen to the great new guests he has on every week!

Guest Appearance on the Side Quest Podcast

travis@fitnesspollenator.com (Travis Pollen) — Mon, 30 Mar 2015 07:43:00 -0700

As you probably know, I'm the proud host of the Fitness Pollenator Video Podcast. New episodes with some all-star guests are currently in the works, so be sure to check it out if you haven't already.

Just the past past week, I actually had the honor of appearing on another fitness podcast, this one Robbie Farlow's Side Quest Podcast. Robbie's lineup of previous guests include incredible trainers like Jessi Kneeland, Bryan Krahn, Greg Nuckols, Jordan Syatt, and many more.

I had a great time chatting with Robbie (so much so that he's actually the next guest on my podcast!).You can go ahead and give my Side Quest Podcast episode a listen at

http://www.sidequestfitness.com/podcast/2015/3/29/interview-with-travis-pollen.

If you enjoy it, I definitely recommend dig into Robbie's archives and subscribing to the Side Quest Podcast on iTunes!

Podcast Ep. 4: Mobility 101 with Matt Ibrahim

travis@fitnesspollenator.com (Travis Pollen) — Wed, 18 Mar 2015 05:02:00 -0700

For this episode of the video podcast, I have on Matt Ibrahim of Mobility 101 to talk all things -- you guessed it -- mobility!

Matt's mission is to bridge the gap between the worlds of rehabilitation and performance. He's an up-and-coming expert with an extensive résumé that includes three years of clinical experience as well as internships at some of the best strength and conditioning facilities in the country. Matt is currently in the process of applying to school for his DPT (doctor of physical therapy) degree.

In this episode, Matt and I discuss...

What exactly mobility (101) means, why it's important, and how we can improve it

How Matt uses mobility as an umbrella for improving qualities like posture and performance
The role of self-empowerment in relation to mobility
Matt's go-to experts in the field
...and much more.

Trust me -- you don't want to miss out on this episode! I, for one, had my mind blown about a dozen times. Click to watch.

To listen to the audio version of the podcast, click here.

For more from Matt, hit him up on his blog, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube:

Podcast Ep. 3: Functional Training w/ Karl Safran

travis@fitnesspollenator.com (Travis Pollen) — Sun, 28 Dec 2014 14:33:00 -0800

I met Karl Safran, owner and operator of No Bull Training in Huntingdon Valley, PA, for the first time two years ago when he came to lecture at NTPI Philadelphia. From the minute he started talking, he had the entire class hanging on his every word. The way in which he broke down human movement was like nothing we had ever heard before. So simple, so elegant, so exciting.

From that day forward, I knew I had to learn everything I could from Karl. Over the following three months while still in school, I went to No Bull Training once a week to shadow Karl. As soon as I got home from these visits, I would race to my computer to type up all the things I'd learned that day.

After I graduated from NPTI, I was fortunate enough to work for Karl for several months before going back to school for my Master's. The time I spent at No Bull was invaluable to my growth as both a trainer and a person. Karl taught me so much, not only about training, but also about life.

I got a chance to catch up with Karl for the third episode of the Fitness Pollenator Podcast. We chatted about what "functional training" means for him and his clients, who his biggest influences have been, and the importance of mindset when it comes to training.

You don't want to miss what he has to say.

To listen to just the audio, click here.

Podcast Ep. 1: CrossFit Misconceptions w/ Tom DeVietro

travis@fitnesspollenator.com (Travis Pollen) — Mon, 17 Nov 2014 17:23:00 -0800

When it comes to CrossFit, everybody’s got an opinion — especially the naysayers who’ve never even set foot in a box. These folks in particular hold certain truths about CrossFit to be self-evident. Here are a few of my favorites:

Every CrossFitter does the same WOD (workout of the day), regardless of training age, ability, and goals.
CrossFit programming is completely random.
CrossFit movements occur only in the sagittal plane.
When doing CrossFit, breakdowns in form are allowed when racing against the clock.

For the inaugural episode of the Fitness Pollenator Podcast, I have with me Coach Tom DeVietro of CrossFit Advance and Max Effort Fitness (in Southeastern, PA) to clear up some of the misconceptions I allude to above.

Find out how Tom and his team are making a positive impact on hundreds of lives by perhaps doing things a little differently from the average box.

For more about Tom, check out this Coach's Spotlight.

To listen to just the audio of the podcast, click here.