Smashing Fifty

This episode follows on from the previous episode - Injury prevention for new runners - with Chris O'Brien from the Confident Runner. In this episode, we discuss how the body works, and how to be more efficient in your running by developing a more helpful and efficient technique. Stop thinking of your technique as being good or bad and instead ask yourself is your technique helpful or unhelpful Tips on how to move better and improve your range of motion 5 Good markers for helpful technique Plus a surprising complimentary exercise that will really help to build your fitness and flexibility. 10k Hero Challenge | The Confident Runner

If you're new to running or are starting a new running program such as the 10k Hero Challenge then you need to be mindful of doing too much too soon and picking up an injury. In this episode, I speak to running coach and endurance specialist, Chris O'Brien from The Confident Runner about the science of running and how injury occurs. Learn the number one cause of injury in new runners and its 5-variables that will cause injury. Plus - Why your body produces pain and tips for avoiding it.

In this episode, I speak with Brad Walker, AKA the Stretch Coach about how beginners can stay injury-free when training for a 10k race. We cover warming up, cooling down, stretching and injury prevention.

In this episode, I speak with 70-year-old Frank Rothwell who is rowing solo 3,000 miles across the Atlantic Ocean as part of the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge (TWAC), in support of Alzheimer's Research UK. Listen in to discover what creates such incredible spirit and lust for life. You'll also learn what he fears most in life and what he's most afraid of during this incredible challenge. Frank likes a challenge! In 2017, he spent five weeks on a deserted island for the Channel 4 programme, 'The Island with Bear Grylls'. Before that, he was only the 10th person to ever circumnavigate North and South America by boat. His passion for challenges started back in the 1980s when he started running marathons and since then he's also competed in the Scottish Six-Day Trials motorcycle race, sailed around the world, likes to heli-ski and builds his own coal-fired steam traction engines. Frank hopes to raise £1 million for Alzheimer's Research UK. which will be helped by the Iceland Foods Charitable Foundation, which has generously offered to match-fund the first £500,000 of donations. Please visit Frank's Just Giving page and make a donation. JustGiving/FrankRothwell

Four years ago was the best day of my life. Four years ago I was broke… Listen to the story of how 34-year-old Josh Steger from Illinois went from being a broke mechanic, worrying about paying his bills and buying food for his family, to closing on the home of his dreams in just four short years. Learn how he changed everything in his life through self-reflection, personal development, asking himself better questions, thinking differently and simply looking in the mirror and taking responsibility for his life. A remarkable story of huge transformation just by making small changes. What will your life look like ten years from now? www.smashingfifty.com

This is the story of an ordinary bloke from the UK who at age 38 found himself overweight, unfit and about to become a father. Inspired by the birth of his twin girls, Chris O' Brien set out to run between two lamp-posts, a feat he could barely achieve. Today, he runs sub-3-hour marathons, is an endurance junky and even started a few new businesses around his passion for running. Listen to Chris's incredible journey to discover what it takes to turn your life around and what happens to your body when you try to win a 12-hour endurance race. In a quite remarkable life-transformation, Chris is now the founder of two new businesses focussed on trying to help individuals get better at running and uses some quite different techniques. Here's how Chris describes those businesses: "Elite athleticism for the everyday runner. Become a ninja mover using a brain-first approach for rapid and lasting improvements to your running." Boom. Discover more at www.runteach.com and www.theconfidentrunner.com

After listening to the Tribe of Mentors podcast with Tim Ferris and Jocko Willink I've become quite fascinated by the concept that ‘discipline equals freedom'. I used to think of discipline as being quite restrictive but if you think about it, having the discipline to work through the tasks you need to do in order to buy yourself the freedom to do what you want to do is quite a liberating thing. Having the discipline to exercise will give you the freedom of health. Having the discipline of saving money will give you the freedom to have a better retirement or take a long holiday So, in order to have more freedom, you need to be more disciplined. What do you think? How could more discipline create more freedom in your life?

In this episode, I speak with Matt Hall, a former firefighter from the UK who is six months into a 'new life' living without alcohol. Listen in as Matt and I discuss his journey with One Year No Beer (OYNB) and discover how he saved over £3,000 in just six months and how his life has changed in so many other ways. For more information on the benefits of giving up alcohol and One Year No Beer visit: smashingfifty.com

In this episode, I continue the discussion around taking a break from alcohol and speak with Gabriel Paues, a 44-year-old man living in Stockholm. Listen in as Gabriel and I discuss his journey with One Year No Beer (OYNB) and discover how his life has changed since giving up alcohol and living a more fulfilled life. For more information on the benefits of giving up alcohol and One Year No Beer visit: smashingfifty.com

In this episode, I speak with Harvey Roberts, an ordinary bloke living in the UK without drinking alcohol (shock!). Listen in as Harvey and I discuss his journey with One Year No Beer (OYNB) and discover how his life has changed since giving up alcohol and living a more fulfilled life. For more information on the benefits of giving up alcohol and One Year No Beer visit: smashingfifty.com

I'm 45 years old and next week I'm going to play football (soccer) for only the second time in the last nine years. So, I decided to do a bit of research into the benefits of playing football once you're over 40 and I also got a bit of advice from a former pro-trainer on how to prepare for a game. So should you play when you're over 40? Take a listen to find out. www.smashingfifty.com

In this episode, former pro-cyclist Anthony Walsh talks to me about life as a pro-cyclist and chasing the dream in pursuit of becoming the best. We also discuss how his dream came crashing down, his struggles with finding his true passion and his fear of becoming an overweight middle-aged man. We also discuss the neccecity of having a life-vision, a top-tip from Tim Ferris, cortisol, morning routines and probably the best anti-procrastination tip I've ever heard. www.smashingfifty.com www.roadmancycling.com

Fred Zalokar holds the record for winning his age group in each of the six Abbott World Marathon Majors. Additionally, he's a traveller, a mountain climber, ultra runner, husband and father who holds down a full-time job. His passion for life and challenges is an inspiration to all, so regardless of your interest in marathon running, his story is going to blow your mind. If you're wondering how he gets all of this done in a day, I'll give you a clue... he gets up quite early in the morning shall we say. Work hard, have big goals, and never fear your failures. Read more here: https://smashingfifty.com/fred-zalokar-beliefs-and-rituals-of-a-marathon-champion/

Putting on weight and muscle is not easy for a lot of men. Personally, it's something that I've struggled with my entire adult life, and so in this episode, I speak to personal trainer and nutritionist, Anthony Bailey about how to bulk up and put on weight and muscle in your forties. In the episode we cover: The best exercises for putting on muscle Where to start with weights If bodyweight training is effective for bulking up How skinny-fat guys can put on muscle and lose weight How to maintain a good level of cardio whilst bulking up Diet ‎and How to bulk up without getting fat

Like a lot of middle-aged men, I've got my fair share of aches and pains and so I reached out to one of the world's best stretch coaches to get some real insight into the world of stretching. During this episode, amongst other things, we covered: • The main causes of pain and reduced flexibility in middle-aged men • How stretching works • The different type of stretches • The mistakes people make when static stretching • The best time of day to stretch for improved flexibility • The difference between a stretching workout and a flexibility session • How long you should hold a stretch for • The basics of PNF stretching • The many causes of knee pain You can view the Podcast in blog format here: www. smashingfifty.com/stretching101-with-brad-walker Brad Walker can be found at www.stretchcoach.com

It seems to be common knowledge that the best way to lose weight is to do loads of cardio, and just pound out the miles. It seems logical, right? But what if there's a more effective way than just sweating it out on the treadmill or exercise bike? In fact, what if weight training was equally or even more effective than cardio for fat loss? With that in mind, I spoke to Personal Trainer and Nutritionist, Anthony Bailey to find out which is more effective to help you lose weight quickly and effectively.

I speak to personal Trainer and nutritionist, Anthony Bailey about the best (and most effective) pieces of gym equipment for the home. During our chat, Anthony reveals his top three pieces of equipment plus five great exercises to do with his number one piece of equipment... adjustable dumbells. You can read the overview here. www.smashingfifty.com

With regards to exercise and getting fit, one of the first things you need to know is how often should you workout/exercise every week in order to maximise your gains (either muscle growth or fat loss) and minimise injury. This is especially important if you're just getting started, or if you're a little bit older (40+) when your body will require a bit of extra care. To find out the answer to this question, I spoke to personal trainer and nutritionist, Anthony Bailey from ABFitness. In this episode, discover: • The difference between working out and exercise • How often you should workout or exercise each week • How much rest you need between workouts • How to start exercising if you're very unfit • For how long you should exercise • How often you should lift weights www.smashingfifty.com the health fitness and personal development brand for middle-aged men.

In this episode I speak to personal trainer and nutritionist, Anthony Bailey to discover what causes a beer belly in middle-aged men, why men specifically get a beer belly, the health implications of having one and the best exercises and diet to help you lose it. Spoiler alert... you don't have to give up beer - if you're careful! www.smashingfifty.com

In this episode, I speak to personal trainer and nutritionist, Anthony Bailey from www.abfitness.training about how to approach doing push-ups the right way, and more importantly, how to ensure that you balance your push-ups with pulling exercises. We also discuss more general health and fitness tips and dangers for middle-aged men. www.smashingfifty.com

Tune in to the first-ever Smashing Fifty podcast to hear how a few simple words from a friend and The Body Coach completely changed this middle-aged man's outlook on life, and learn the techniques he used to make huge weight loss and completely change his life in just a few months. In January 2019 Lee Perry was an ordinary 49-year-old father of five from the UK suffering from a problem familiar to many middle-aged men. Lee was unfit, overweight (19 stone / 121kgs / 266lbs) and unhappy. Although successful in business, he was worried that his poor health was starting to affect his life to the extent where he could no longer enjoy time with his kids. He was also starting to worry about his future health. Having tried many times before to lose weight and get fit but failed. Lee decided that this time was going to be different. And it was. Just three months later he was well on his way to changing his life completely, and by the end of 2019, he'd lost 5 stone (32kgs / 70lbs) in weight and was easily running half marathons. Not only that, but he'd also transformed his lifestyle, his relationships and his level of happiness. www.smashingfifty.com