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As an Educator and Coach at SH/FT, Emily Hightower leverages her expertise in the neurophysiology of trauma and resilience to help clients master their stress response and improve their quality of life. By combining over 25 years of experience as a breathing expert, yoga teacher, river guide, and wilderness EMT, Emily empowers high performers to disrupt limits, align with nature, and heal their bodies and minds. Emily developed SH/FT’s Skill of Stress course and teaches the N=1 Exposure Experience and Mentorship program with Brian MacKenzie. Her experiential teaching approach enables clients to understand and direct their stress response to drive optimal performance under pressure while promoting long-term balance. Before joining SH/FT, Emily founded Intrinsic, where she helped combat veterans, athletes, and clients recovering from substance abuse resolve past traumas and gain clarity using a science-based approach and tools such as breath, exposure, somatic yoga, archery, and integrative nutrition. Earlier in her career, Emily’s practice was based in a neurology clinic, where she integrated her approach with cutting-edge neuroscience and research. Her clients include the United States Special Operations Command Adaptive Care Unit and other Veterans services in the US and Abroad. She also served as the Education Director for the Headwaters Institute, facilitating river education seminars on 28 watersheds in the US and Chile. Emily is a Master Yoga Teacher with 16,000+ hours of teaching experience specializing in Pranayama Breathing. She lives with her husband, Brian Hightower, and their son and loves to ski, run rivers, and bow hunt.   Emily Hightower on Instagram Anders Varner on Instagram Doug Larson on Instagram Coach Travis Mash on Instagram

Professor Phillips is a Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Skeletal Muscle Health in Aging. He is a Professor in Kinesiology, and Graduate Faculty in the School of Medicine at McMaster University. He is a fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences (FCAHS) and the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM). His research is focused on the impact of nutrition and exercise on the mechanisms of human skeletal muscle protein turnover. He is also keenly interested in diet- and exercise-induced changes in body composition particularly in older persons. His research is funded by the Canadian Institutes for Health Research, the National Science and Engineering Council of Canada, the Canadian Foundation for Innovation, the US NIH, the USDA, and several industry partners. Dr. Stu Phillips on Instagram Anders Varner on Instagram Doug Larson on Instagram Coach Travis Mash on Instagram

Pratik Patel is a health and performance coach, speaker, advisor, and consultant to sports teams, startups, and VC groups in the health, wellness, and performance realm. Pratik brings unique perspectives gained from his time in high level elite sport (NFL) to enhance the health and performance of individuals in the real world. Using his internal and external health approach and stress adaptation frameworks along with technology and wearables Pratik helps his clients implement effective health improvement strategies for long-term sustained success.   For the past 20 years, he has studied health, nutrition, fitness, recovery, and the interplay between these and health and performance and has had the opportunity to implement his strategies with multiple elite college teams and most recently the New York Football Giants (where they experienced the least number of games lost due to injury in their history during his tenure). Pratik is highly regarded in the field of sports, health, and wellness and teaches his concepts to dozens of other elite college and NFL teams along with presenting to numerous Fortune 500 companies. He is also one of the most featured coaches in the sports, health, and wellness space with features in USA Today, Outside Magazine, ESPN, and has been sought after as a guest on over 60+ podcast episodes. Pratik is also the author of 4 scientific publications through peer reviewed journals. Pratik is a Registered Dietitian and board Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics (CSSD) through the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND) as well as a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) through the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA).   Pratik resides in the Kansas City area with his family and two children (newborn son) and can be reached on his X/Twitter, Instagram, or LinkedIn social media accounts @pratikxpatel.   Follow Pratik on Twitter Anders Varner on Instagram Doug Larson on Instagram Coach Travis Mash on Instagram

Dr. Christopher A. Perry, an Assistant Professor at Eastern Kentucky University, began his fitness journey at Penn State University, where he developed a robust background in Strength & Conditioning leading to 17 years in the industry to date. His academic path, leading through a PhD at Arizona State University, deepened his expertise in Exercise Science & Sports, Sleep & Circadian Rhythms, and Nutrition. Chris's current research focuses on sleep, movement analysis, and CO2 tolerance, particularly in tactical populations and collegiate athletes. His work aims to enhance performance, wellness, and longevity health outcomes, demonstrating his commitment to advancing the field of exercise and sports science. Beyond his academic pursuits, Chris is an executive performance coach, weight loss consultant, fitness entrepreneurship mentor, podcast host, and enjoys engaging in coffee culture and movie discussions.   Work with Dr. Chris Perry Anders Varner on Instagram Doug Larson on Instagram Coach Travis Mash on Instagram

In today’s episode of Barbell Shrugged, Anders Varner, Doug Larson, and Travis sit down with Anders coach, Dr. Mike T. Nelson. For those that have followed the show, you know Anders has been in pursuit of running a sub-6 minute mile at the age of 40. Dr. Nelson is the coach Anders hired to help with that goal. In this episode the crew walks through program design, initial intake, and execution of how to build cardiovascular fitness. You will learn performance tests used to design Anders training program, how priorities are scheduled into a busy life, understanding higher intensity efforts mixed with Vo2Max training, Zone 2 efforts, and how to maintain strength throughout the process. We hope you enjoy. Work with Dr. Nelson Anders Varner on Instagram Doug Larson on Instagram Coach Travis Mash on Instagram

In today’s episode of Barbell Shrugged, Anders Varner, Doug Larson, and Travis dive into the thought process and strategies we use to build a positive conversation around fitness and nutrition. We dig into the proper framing of how to eat, the benefits of specific foods, and the steps we take to ensure our kids are eating well. We also discuss the steps we take to ensure our kids see fitness as a healthy part of life by being outside, seeing us train, and celebrating an active lifestyle. This show will give you insight into a subject we do not dedicate full shows to, however, is something we think about on a daily basis when raising our kids. We hope you enjoy. Anders Varner on Instagram Doug Larson on Instagram Coach Travis Mash on Instagram

Juliet Starrett and Dr. Kelly Starrett are pioneers of mobility. They’ve spent decades working with athletes of all types, teaching them how to move better to reach peak physical performance. Their revolutionary teachings on movement and the body present an easily achievable roadmap, which they have outlined in their new book Built to Move. Kelly and Juliet teach audiences how to seamlessly implement ten essential mobility habits that can be worked into even the busiest of schedules to alleviate chronic pain, improve range of motion, and break sedentary habits. They advise major companies on how to create a healthier workforce through simple mobility exercises and self-care techniques to alleviate and manage stress. Their teachings apply to all people who want to feel better, work better, and live better. Kelly Starrett, DPT, is a physical therapist and co-author of the New York Times bestseller Becoming a Supple Leopard. He consults with professional athletes and coaches from the NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB, and U.S. Olympic team, as well as with all branches of the U.S. elite armed forces. He and Juliet co-founded one of the first CrossFit gyms in San Francisco and co-authored the Wall Street Journal bestseller Deskbound. Juliet Starrett is an attorney and CEO of The Ready State. She co-founded the nonprofit StandUp Kids and is a two-time whitewater rafting world champion, winning five national titles. Work with The Ready State: Website: https://thereadystate.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thereadystate Anders Varner on Instagram Doug Larson on Instagram Coach Travis Mash on Instagram

Jason Phillips is the founder and CEO of Nutritional Coaching Institute. NCI’s mission is to empower and inspire a global community of health and wellness enthusiasts, with the goal of positively impacting the lives of 1 billion people. They are dedicated to equipping nutritional coaches with cutting-edge knowledge and resources to transform lives through optimal nutrition and holistic well-being. Drawing upon their extensive expertise amassed over the years, they have become renowned for their exceptional certifications and evidence-based approaches in the field of nutrition. By fostering a culture of scientific rigor and innovative learning methods, they strive to provide world-class training that empowers coaches to guide their clients towards healthier and more fulfilling lifestyles. NCI is committed to cultivating a vibrant network of passionate professionals who share our dedication to advancing global health and wellness. Together, they aim to create a ripple effect of positive change, helping individuals and communities embrace vibrant well-being and embrace the joy of living a nourished life.   Work with Jason Phillips Website: https://ncicertifications.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nutritionalcoachinginstitute/ Anders Varner on Instagram Doug Larson on Instagram Coach Travis Mash on Instagram

Alex Auerbach is a counseling and performance psychologist currently working as an executive in professional sports.  He has been fortunate to work with the best athletes in the world in the NBA, NFL, MLB, and Olympians, as well as high-performers in other domains like elite military units, Fortune 5 companies, and venture-backed start-ups. In addition to his training as a psychologist, Alex is a former college football coach and NFL employee. I've been a part of several venture-backed start-ups in a range of roles from consultant to C-suite. My areas of expertise include wellness, high performance, performance under pressure, leadership, mindset training, systems optimization, and organizational development. Work with  Dr. Alex Auerbach X/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/alexauerbachphd Website: https://www.alexauerbach.info Anders Varner on Instagram Doug Larson on Instagram Coach Travis Mash on Instagram

Eric Helms PhD, CSCS is the Chief Science Officer of 3DMJ. He helps the team members play to their strengths, stay up to date with best practice, and acts as a science communicator, helping lifters find sustainable pathways to high performance.    Eric is the chief author of the Muscle and Strength Pyramids, a founder of and reviewer for Monthly Applications in Strength Sport, and is a research fellow at the Sports Performance Research Institute New Zealand at Auckland University of Technology, pursuing research in training, nutrition and psychology for strength and physique sport.    Eric has a PhD in Strength and Conditioning with a research focus on autoregulating powerlifting, a masters with a research focus on protein and macronutrient manipulation for dieting bodybuilders, a second masters in exercise science and health promotion, and a bachelors in sports management, fitness and wellness.    As an athlete, Eric is WNBF Pro bodybuilder and competes in multiple strength sports.   Work with  Dr. Eric Helms Instagram: @helms3dmj Website: https://3dmusclejourney.com Podcast: https://3dmusclejourney.com/podcast/   Anders Varner on Instagram Doug Larson on Instagram Coach Travis Mash on Instagram

Nir Eyal writes, consults, and teaches about the intersection of psychology, technology, and business. Nir previously taught as a Lecturer in Marketing at the Stanford Graduate School of Business and the Hasso Plattner Institute of Design at Stanford.   Nir co-founded and sold two tech companies since 2003 and was dubbed by The M.I.T. Technology Review as, “The Prophet of Habit-Forming Technology.” Bloomberg Businessweek wrote, “Nir Eyal is the habits guy. Want to understand how to get app users to come back again and again? Then Eyal is your man.”   He is the author of two bestselling books, Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products and Indistractable: How to Control Your Attention and Choose Your Life. His books have resonated with readers worldwide, selling over 1 million copies in over 30 languages.   Indistractable received critical acclaim, winning the Outstanding Works of Literature Award as well as being named one of the Best Business and Leadership Books of the Year by Amazon and one of the Best Personal Development Books of the Year by Audible. The Globe and Mail called Indistractable, “the best business book of 2019.”   In addition to blogging at NirAndFar.com, Nir’s writing has been featured in The New York Times, The Harvard Business Review, Time Magazine, and Psychology Today.   Nir invests in habit-forming products that improve users’ lives. Some of his past investments include Eventbrite (NYSE:EB), Anchor.fm (acquired by Spotify), Kahoot! (KAHOOT-ME.OL), Canva, Homelight, Product Hunt, Marco Polo, Byte Foods, FocusMate, Dynamicare, Wise App, and Sunnyside.   Nir attended The Stanford Graduate School of Business and Emory University.   Free Tools and Resources from Nir Eyal: Indistractable the book: http://geni.us/indistractable Indistractable bonus content is here: http://www.nirandfar.com/indistractable/ Indistractable summary article: https://www.nirandfar.com/skill-of-the-future/ Timeboxing article: https://www.nirandfar.com/timeboxing/ Values article: https://www.nirandfar.com/common-values/ Free habit tracker tool: https://www.nirandfar.com/habit-tracker/ Free schedule maker tool: https://www.nirandfar.com/schedule-maker/ List of  top articles: https://www.nirandfar.com/best-articles/ Anders Varner on Instagram Doug Larson on Instagram

Michael Ruscio is a DC, clinical researcher, and author working fervently to reform and improve the fields of functional and integrative health. With his clinical and research teams, he scours existing studies to inform his ongoing clinical research, patient care, and guidance for health seekers and fellow clinicians around the world. His primary focus is digestive health and its impact on other facets of health, including energy, sleep, mood, and thyroid function and optimization.  Dr. Ruscio’s, DC, book, Healthy Gut, Healthy You, has paved the way for a ‘start with the gut’ philosophy that has enabled doctors and patients to see improved outcomes with minimal expense and effort. Since 2011, Dr. Ruscio, DC has pioneered the way to providing practical, cost-effective functional medicine care by pragmatically applying evidence-based therapies to thousands of people with real symptoms. Dr. Ruscio’s, DC, ability to objectively analyze medical literature has made him a trusted voice of reason, which he shares in his top-rated podcast and blog, and in a newsletter for functional medicine practitioners.   Connect with Dr. Michael Ruscio Instagram YouTube Anders Varner on Instagram Doug Larson on Instagram