Strength Changes Everything

• How to Strength Train Smarter by Controlling Your Range of Motion

  Amy Hudson and Dr. James Fisher discuss the importance of range of motion in strength training and how it impacts performance, injury prevention, and long-term joint health. They cover why strength varies throughout a movement, the dangers of locking out your joints, and the myths about extreme ranges of motion. Tune in to hear expert insights on training smarter, maximizing muscle engagement, and protecting your body for the long run. Dr. Fisher starts by defining range of motion and why it’s important for strength training. He explains that range of motion isn’t just about flexibility or stretching. It’s about how far and in what direction you can move a joint or muscle, which directly impacts strength, performance, and injury prevention. Dr. Fisher explains how strength varies throughout a movement and why it matters. Muscles aren’t equally strong at all points in a movement. They are weaker in the fully-lengthened and fully-shortened positions, but much stronger in the middle. Understanding this helps you train smarter and avoid injury. Amy highlights the strength curve and why you’re stronger in some positions more than others. How to avoid injury by understanding weak points in your range of motion. According to Dr. Fisher, every movement has points where your muscles are naturally weaker. Loading too much weight in these positions increases the risk of strain or injury. Dr. Fisher on the most important habit for protecting your joints--never lock them out during lifts. When you fully extend your joints under load, you shift stress from your muscles to your bones and ligaments. Keeping a slight bend in your knees and elbows ensures that your muscles, not your joints, handle the weight. Amy explains how keeping muscles loaded every second of an exercise maximizes gains.  Understand that pausing or locking out during a lift gives your muscles a break and shifts the load away from them. Keeping tension on the muscle throughout the movement ensures continuous engagement, leading to better strength and muscle development. Dr. Fisher explains how rushing through reps reduces their effectiveness. Moving in a slow, controlled manner keeps the muscles engaged and working harder, leading to better strength and endurance over time. According to Dr. Fisher, younger people may get away with using extreme ranges of motion, but over time, this can wear down joints and connective tissues. Training with a more controlled range of motion helps maintain joint health for the long run. Amy explains how going too far back in a lift weakens tendons and ligaments. When you move too far into a stretch during a lift, you stop effectively working the targeted muscle and instead place excessive stress on tendons and ligaments. This weakens them over time and increases the risk of injury. Many people assume soreness means a workout was effective, but that’s not necessarily true. Soreness can indicate muscle fatigue or even joint stress, so it’s not the best way to measure progress. Amy and Dr. Fisher agree that a well-designed workout should challenge your muscles, not leave you in pain for days. Your personal trainer’s role is to design a program that helps you get stronger while keeping your joints safe and your body functional. Amy and Dr. Fisher discuss how training with joint health in mind ensures you stay strong, mobile, and pain-free as you get older. Dr. Fisher debunks the myth that you need extreme motion to build muscle. Some bodybuilders and personal trainers believe that using a larger range of motion leads to more muscle growth, but research shows that safer, controlled ranges are just as effective. You don’t need extreme movement to see results. The key is maintaining proper muscle tension and control. Dr. Fisher’s top tip for rehab and preventing muscle loss. If you’re recovering from an injury, immobilizing the joint completely can lead to muscle loss. Even small muscle contractions help maintain strength and promote healing. Amy’s advice for gym-goers and fitness trainers: When working out, make sure your movement stays within a safe and effective range.  Proper guidance helps prevent injury and ensures that your muscles—not your joints—are doing the work.     Mentioned in This Episode: The Exercise Coach - Get 2 Free Sessions! Submit your questions at StrengthChangesEverything.com Joint-Friendly Fitness: Your Guide to the Optimal Exercise by Bill DeSimone     This podcast and blog are provided to you for entertainment and informational purposes only. By accessing either, you agree that neither constitute medical advice nor should they be substituted for professional medical advice or care. Use of this podcast or blog to treat any medical condition is strictly prohibited. Consult your physician for any medical condition you may be having. In no event will any podcast or blog hosts, guests, or contributors, Exercise Coach USA, LLC, Gymbot LLC, any subsidiaries or affiliates of same, or any of their respective directors, officers, employees, or agents, be responsible for any injury, loss, or damage to you or others due to any podcast or blog content.

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  27:37
• The Truth About Type I and Type II Muscle Fibers: Strength Training Essentials

  Amy Hudson and Dr. James Fisher explore the difference between type one and type two muscle fibers—why they matter, how they function, and how to train them effectively. They discuss why neglecting type two fibers can lead to rapid muscle loss and how simple strength exercises can make a huge difference in keeping you strong, mobile, and functional for life. Join us to hear ways a sedentary lifestyle weakens type two muscle fibers and how small changes in your workouts can have a huge impact on your long-term health. What are type one and type two muscle fibers, and why does it matter? Dr. Fisher explains that type one fibers are built for endurance, while type two fibers generate explosive power—think marathon runners versus sprinters or powerlifters. Dr. Fisher dives deeper into why we shouldn’t think of our bodies as purely type one or type two. While genetics play a role, the way we train determines how these fibers develop and function over time. The Size Principle explains how our bodies recruit muscle fibers based on demand. If we only perform light movements, we activate type one fibers, but if we never lift heavy, we neglect type two—leading to faster muscle decline as we age. Amy asks whether someone could go decades only recruiting type one fibers. Dr. Fisher says this is a common issue, especially for sedentary individuals like office workers who don’t challenge their muscles regularly. According to Amy, the problem with neglecting type two muscle fibers is that they’re the ones that decline the fastest with age. If we spend our 30s, 40s, and beyond avoiding high-effort exercise, we’ll lose strength rapidly, making everyday tasks harder over time. Amy points out that as we age, our exercise approach has to evolve. What worked in our 20s might not be enough to maintain type two muscle fibers in our 40s, 50s, and beyond. So how do we train type two fibers? Dr. Fisher emphasizes that you don’t need to lift extremely heavy weights. The key is engaging in strength training with sufficient intensity to activate those fibers. Having a personal trainer overseeing your workouts can go a long way in ensuring you’re training with sufficient enough intensity. For Amy, the difference between recruiting type one and type two fibers comes down to duration and intensity. For older adults who haven’t exercised in years, strength training is a game-changer. Dr. Fisher explains that if the choice is between walking for 20 minutes or strength training for 10 minutes, the latter offers significantly more benefits for health and longevity. Resistance is your ally—when applied safely and at the right intensity, it triggers type two muscle fibers and helps us maintain strength as we age. Amy and Dr. Fisher agree that maintaining muscle is about more than just fitness—it’s about preserving independence and quality of life. Dr. Fisher introduces the concept of concentric and eccentric muscle actions, explaining how both play a role in muscle development. The eccentric phase—where the muscle lengthens under tension—may be particularly effective for type two fiber recruitment. He highlights the benefits of exerbotic devices, like those used in The Exercise Coach, which provide more resistance during the eccentric phase. Amy talks about the future of fitness, and how embracing resistance training—especially with innovative tools—will be key to staying strong and functional for life.     Mentioned in This Episode: The Exercise Coach - Get 2 Free Sessions! Submit your questions at StrengthChangesEverything.com     This podcast and blog are provided to you for entertainment and informational purposes only. By accessing either, you agree that neither constitute medical advice nor should they be substituted for professional medical advice or care. Use of this podcast or blog to treat any medical condition is strictly prohibited. Consult your physician for any medical condition you may be having. In no event will any podcast or blog hosts, guests, or contributors, Exercise Coach USA, LLC, Gymbot LLC, any subsidiaries or affiliates of same, or any of their respective directors, officers, employees, or agents, be responsible for any injury, loss, or damage to you or others due to any podcast or blog content.

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  22:39
• Why Most People Fail in the Gym (And How Supervision With a Personal Trainer Can Help)

  Amy Hudson and Dr. James Fisher dive deep into the science of supervised workouts, sharing research on the benefits of guided workouts. They explore the key differences between supervised and unsupervised training, why many people struggle to train effectively on their own, and how coaching impacts technique, effort, safety, and motivation. Tune in to hear why men and women respond differently to coaching, ways technology is changing the way we work out, and why a trainer might be the secret weapon you didn’t know you needed. Amy and Dr. Fisher start by explaining the difference between supervised and unsupervised training. What is a supervised workout? Dr. Fisher defines it as training with real-time feedback from a qualified professional to enhance technique, effort, and safety. Dr. Fisher explains why most strength training studies don’t reflect real-world results. He reveals that most studies are supervised, testing whether training works under ideal conditions, not whether people can sustain them in daily life. Amy highlights the overwhelming evidence supporting strength training. Unfortunately, many people avoid it due to its perceived complexity and difficulty. Amy reveals the key reason most people struggle to get started with strength training: uncertainty—people walk into the gym unsure of what to do, which leads to frustration or avoidance. Dr. Fisher covers supervised vs. unsupervised training--and why coaching makes a huge difference. How supervised strength training consistently leads to better results in technique, effort, safety, and adherence. What makes personal training invaluable? Effort: Pushing beyond your comfort zone. Trainers help clients train at the right intensity, ensuring they work hard enough to see real results. Motivation: Having a coach boosts engagement, making training feel less like a chore and more like a rewarding experience. Safety: Dr. Fisher emphasizes that people who train alone are far more likely to get injured compared to those with professional supervision. Accountability: Working with a trainer creates external accountability, making it far more likely that people show up and stay consistent. Smart programming: Coaches tailor workout plans to evolve over time, adjusting intensity, resistance, and exercise selection for steady improvement. Technique: A coach ensures correct form, preventing injuries and maximizing the effectiveness of each exercise. How technology is transforming strength training. Dr. Fisher and Amy discuss the role of exerbotic machines and augmented feedback in optimizing workouts and improving results. Learn why different clients need different coaching approaches. Amy explains that beginners need more focus on technique, while advanced clients benefit from coaching on effort, mindset, and fine-tuning their performance. Dr. Fisher explains that while positive feedback is key, research shows that well-timed negative feedback—urging someone to push harder—can drive significant progress. The trainer-client relationship is more than just fitness. Dr. Fisher reveals that many people compare their relationship with a trainer to that of a doctor or dentist, highlighting the trust and accountability involved. Men vs. women: How supervision affects training differently. Dr. Fisher discusses a study showing that men feel more confident maintaining high effort and safety, while women tend to benefit more from supervision. Why female clients push harder with a coach. Amy highlights that women often maximize their effort in strength training when working under professional guidance. If you struggle to give your best effort in workouts, Amy encourages you to check out The Exercise Coach and work with a trainer for faster, better results.     Mentioned in This Episode: The Exercise Coach - Get 2 Free Sessions! Submit your questions at StrengthChangesEverything.com     This podcast and blog are provided to you for entertainment and informational purposes only. By accessing either, you agree that neither constitute medical advice nor should they be substituted for professional medical advice or care. Use of this podcast or blog to treat any medical condition is strictly prohibited. Consult your physician for any medical condition you may be having. In no event will any podcast or blog hosts, guests, or contributors, Exercise Coach USA, LLC, Gymbot LLC, any subsidiaries or affiliates of same, or any of their respective directors, officers, employees, or agents, be responsible for any injury, loss, or damage to you or others due to any podcast or blog content.

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  27:57
• The Truth About Exercise Plateaus and How to Move Forward

  Amy Hudson and Dr. James Fisher tackle one of the biggest frustrations in fitness—plateaus. They break down why plateaus happen, the role of recovery, nutrition, and mindset, and how to adjust your training to keep moving forward. Tune in to hear why slow progress is better than doing nothing at all, the importance of balancing effort with rest, and practical strategies to help you train smarter and stay consistent even if you’re not seeing any progress. Amy and Dr. Fisher start by exploring factors that influence our workout performance. What is a plateau? According to Dr. Fisher, a plateau isn’t a dead end—it just means progress is happening in ways you can’t see. Dr. Fisher on workout performance: Your workouts aren’t just about what you do in the gym—everything from sleep to stress to hydration plays a role. If you’re running on fumes, skipping meals, or not drinking enough water, your body won’t have what it needs to perform at its best. According to Amy, what you eat before a workout can make or break your session. A heavy meal leaves you sluggish, cutting carbs completely drains your energy, and too little protein slows down recovery. The better you fuel your body, the better it performs. Dr. Fisher on recovery: Muscles grow and get stronger during rest, not during your workout. Dr. Fisher breaks down the bitter truth about recovery: You might think you’ve bounced back from a tough workout, but recovery isn’t just about soreness going away. Your hormones, muscles, and energy systems all need time to reset. Amy on overtraining--It’s easy to think that pushing through fatigue will get you better results, but your muscles need time to repair after intense workouts—if you don’t give them that time, you’re only making it harder for your body to perform at its best. Understand that recovery is personal--some people bounce back in a day, others take longer. Dr. Fisher shares his thoughts on hydration. Even being slightly dehydrated can make your workout feel harder than it should. Amy and Dr. Fisher talk about exercise mindsets. Some days, you walk into a workout ready to go. Other days, your mind resists it and everything feels harder. The trick is to show up anyway—once you start moving, your body usually catches up. The key to long-term progress in strength training is making workouts sustainable so you can keep benefiting from them for life. A good personal trainer will emphasize building habits that last, not just quick results. For Amy, not every workout will be your best, and that’s okay. Even on an off day, you’re still doing more for your body than if you skipped it entirely. Dr. Fisher on chasing numbers. If you’re obsessing over one bad workout or a lower number on the bar, you’re missing the bigger picture. Dr. Fisher talks about process vs. outcome: Chasing a specific number can be frustrating. Focus on the process—consistent training, good nutrition, proper rest—and the results will take care of themselves. Amy and Dr. Fisher discuss how and why plateaus happen. No matter how well you train, you will hit a plateau at some point. Accepting it as part of the process makes it easier to push through. Why do plateaus happen? No one fully understands why they occur, but they happen in every form of training. Your body adapts to stress, and sometimes it needs a little extra challenge or rest before making the next leap forward. The relationship between strength and life span. Understand that strength training isn’t just about fitness—it’s about maintaining the ability to move freely and do the things you love for as long as possible. Dr. Fisher breaks down the myostatin factor and why your body naturally limits muscle growth. For Amy, even if you hit a plateau, you’re still miles ahead of where you’d be if you weren’t training at all. Dr. Fisher on sustainability: Strength training isn’t about complicated programs or extreme effort like most personal trainers want you to believe. It’s about what you can stick with for life. The reality of plateaus: Whether you’re lifting, running, or training for any sport, plateaus are inevitable. But they’re not a sign to quit—they’re a sign to adjust, stay consistent, and trust that progress is still happening.     Mentioned in This Episode: The Exercise Coach - Get 2 Free Sessions! Submit your questions at StrengthChangesEverything.com     This podcast and blog are provided to you for entertainment and informational purposes only. By accessing either, you agree that neither constitute medical advice nor should they be substituted for professional medical advice or care. Use of this podcast or blog to treat any medical condition is strictly prohibited. Consult your physician for any medical condition you may be having. In no event will any podcast or blog hosts, guests, or contributors, Exercise Coach USA, LLC, Gymbot LLC, any subsidiaries or affiliates of same, or any of their respective directors, officers, employees, or agents, be responsible for any injury, loss, or damage to you or others due to any podcast or blog content.

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  46:32
• Strength Training for Women: Hormones Aren’t Your Enemy with Dr. Lauren Colenso-Semple

  Amy Hudson and Dr. James Fisher talk with Lauren Colenso-Semple about the science of female muscle physiology and how hormonal fluctuations impact strength training. They explore the misconceptions around women’s hormones, the underrepresentation of women in research, and whether training recommendations should differ between men and women. Lauren breaks down the truth about menstrual cycles, menopause, and testosterone, explaining why cycle-based training plans are misleading and how women can train effectively at any stage of life. Lauren Colenso-Semple is a scientist and science communicator who specializes in female muscle physiology. Her extensive research is primarily focused on how hormonal fluctuations—whether from the menstrual cycle or hormonal contraceptives—affect performance and exercise adaptations. Lauren explains the key hormonal factors at play, how they change throughout a woman’s life, and why these differences matter in strength training. The truth about menopause and muscle health—Menopause is just a moment in time, marking the last menstrual cycle after 12 months of no period. Lauren breaks down the historical misconceptions around hormones and strength training, revealing how outdated beliefs have shaped fitness advice for women—and why it’s time to rethink them. How much does testosterone matter for muscle growth? While it's essential for initial muscle development during puberty, Lauren reveals it’s not the sole determinant of how much muscle a woman can gain through strength training. Why are women underrepresented in strength training research? According to Lauren, researchers have historically avoided studying female athletes due to the complexity of tracking hormonal cycles, leading to a lack of high-quality data. Lauren and Dr. Fisher uncover why men are naturally better at gaining muscle than women. Should training recommendations for women be different from men’s? Lauren argues that to truly understand sex-based differences in training, we need better research methods that account for women’s physiology without overcomplicating programming. Lauren reveals that the menstrual cycle isn’t always 28 days—and that’s normal. Despite the common textbook diagram, cycle lengths can vary between 21 and 37 days, and hormone patterns are rarely identical from month to month. Amy and Lauren explore whether women should avoid strength training during certain cycle phases. Research shows no significant differences in muscle-building potential across the cycle, meaning women don’t need to skip or modify workouts based on hormone fluctuations alone. Some personal trainers still tell women to avoid strength training at certain times, but Lauren warns that this kind of advice disrupts consistency, misleads clients, and isn’t backed by science. Lauren explains how trying to match workouts to hormonal phases adds unnecessary complexity and ignores fundamental principles of progression and consistency. Strength training should be done consistently throughout the cycle, with no need for major adjustments unless personal symptoms—such as fatigue or cramps—warrant modifications. Lauren and Dr. Fisher caution against overcomplicating strength training, pointing out that fitness trainers often do this to sell programs rather than to help women train effectively. Why strength training is critical as you age—After your 30s, muscle mass and strength naturally decline, but lifting weights can slow or even reverse this process, keeping you strong and independent. One of the most powerful benefits of strength training is its ability to reshape not just your body but also your confidence, longevity, and overall health. Lauren shares stories of women who struggled with fitness for years, jumping from cardio to group classes to online programs—until they found strength training and finally saw lasting results. The empowering effect of getting stronger. Amy and Lauren discuss strength training during pregnancy. They share how, with proper guidance, lifting weights can be safe and beneficial for both mom and baby, helping with strength, mobility, and postpartum recovery. Why male coaches need to engage in this conversation—Dr. Fisher stresses that understanding female physiology isn’t optional for trainers, and even a basic knowledge of hormone cycles can help them coach women more effectively. Dr. Fisher’s message to personal trainers and coaches: cycles are a big part of a woman's life and a big part of a woman's training. The least you can do is understand how to train them during these phases.     Mentioned in This Episode: The Exercise Coach - Get 2 Free Sessions! StrengthChangesEverything.com     This podcast and blog are provided to you for entertainment and informational purposes only. By accessing either, you agree that neither constitute medical advice nor should they be substituted for professional medical advice or care. Use of this podcast or blog to treat any medical condition is strictly prohibited. Consult your physician for any medical condition you may be having. In no event will any podcast or blog hosts, guests, or contributors, Exercise Coach USA, LLC, Gymbot LLC, any subsidiaries or affiliates of same, or any of their respective directors, officers, employees, or agents, be responsible for any injury, loss, or damage to you or others due to any podcast or blog content.

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  38:27

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