Shows
Physiology FirstThe ADHD Myth: Why Your Child May Need Movement to LearnIn this episode David reads an article that we wrote on his Substack outlining the flaws in the ADHD diagnosis and presents a new and empowering framework for understanding attention in the 21st century.
2026-01-2731 min
Physiology FirstThe 3 Biggest Threats to Youth Mental Health: They may not be what you'd expect...David discuses the 3 industries targeting the health of our kids and how we can get organized and stand up for the next generation.
2026-01-2722 min
Physiology FirstEducation Before Medication: A Conversation with Dr. Josef Witt DoerringJoin David Bidler and Dr. Joseph Witt Doerring for an inspiring conversation on how to support the health of our next generation. We discuss the dangers of many common psychiatric medications when compared to natural alternatives such as exercise, diet, sauna, and cold plunge. We explore the role of purpose, meaning, and social community in mental health. This is one of the most important conversations of our time-we hope that you enjoy and share it widely!
2026-01-1557 min
Physiology FirstSleep is a Skill: A Practical Conversation for Parents in an Exhausted CultureIn this conversation with Nadine Eliot we discuss the role of sleep in mental health and fitness. Nadine is a Physiology First team leader at our Manchester campus. She has been attending classes with her children since we first opened the doors. David and Nadine discuss the science of sleep, and how it influences our mental and physical health.
2026-01-1336 min
Physiology FirstHow to Build a Health Business in 2026: Culture, Community, and the Currency of Trust In this conversation David speaks with Amy Stackhouse. Amy is a team leader at Physiology First Manchester, our first UK campus. David and Amy discuss the role of trust in building a health business, how data-driven coaching leads to long term client relationships, and why working on what you are passionate about leads to a path of purpose.
2026-01-1340 min
Physiology FirstHow to Control Stress and Improve Mental Focus in Real Time: A Conversation with Phil IrelandIn this conversation with coach, endurance athlete, and martial arts champion Phil Ireland we share skills to take control of our internal state in any external environment. Learn how breathing impacts our mental and physical fitness. Gain simple, practical skills t0 adjust your physiology in real-time. Hear the Farmer's Story and the God Story - two simple tales with big picture lessons for the 21st century.
2026-01-1345 min
Physiology FirstThe Body and Breath Connection: A Conversation with Jill MillerAuthor, teacher, and co-founder of Tune-Up Fitness Wordwide joins me on the show to discuss the future of health education. With more than 30 years of study in anatomy and movement, Jill is a pioneer in forging relevant links between the worlds of fitness, yoga, massage, athletics, and pain management. Learn more about her powerful work at Tune-Up Fitness. Her latest book, Body by Breath, is my favorite book on breathing-hands down. Check it our here. I truly enjoyed this conversation with Jill. We touched on the relationship between our breath and body, the...
2026-01-1353 min
Physiology FirstRethinking Mental Health Through Movement: How to Build an Exercise Program to Improve Brain and Body HealthLearn exactly how we help members of all ages build an exercise program to amplify the health of the brain and body. In this episode Physiology First founder David Bidler will walk you through our unique approach to education focused exercise. The future of learning is learning about our physiology first.
2026-01-1318 min
Physiology FirstThe Blueprint for a Healthier Generation: A Practical Roadmap to Youth Mental Health and Community Wellbeing How do we build the healthiest generation yet? In this episode you'll get a practical roadmap to improving youth mental health, and creating a health revolution for a new generation. We built a first of a kind community health education center. Learn to bring Physiology First tp your community. Learn to teach sleep, nutrition, exercise, and brain health to a generation. Practical steps to creating health hubs that educate, empower, and bring the community together. Follow us on Substack for daily lessons on health and human potential.
2026-01-0925 min
Unscripted CuriosityOne Tool, Many Lessons: David Bidler on Finding Purpose Through PhysiologyIn this expansive and energizing conversation, Jenn and Scott sit down with David Bidler, co-founder of Physiology First, an organization on a mission to bring physiology-based education into the mainstream to support mental and physical health across the lifespan.David shares his powerful personal journey—from early struggles with substance use to discovering purpose through Brazilian jiu-jitsu and ultramarathon running. His story weaves together themes of resilience, curiosity, and the role of movement in transforming lives. What began as a training center for endurance athletes has since grown into a global initiative to reimagine how we understand an...
2025-09-091h 31
She Slays the Day with Dr. Lauryn BrunclikRedefining Mental Health as Brain Health (She Slays Replay)Is the term "mental health" doing more harm than good? In this segment, David Bidler challenges how we talk about wellness, arguing for a shift toward “brain health”—a term that empowers proactive growth instead of labeling illness.From dopamine deficits to algorithm-driven anxiety, David unpacks the physiological and psychological toll of our tech-filled lives—and offers a path forward rooted in clarity, autonomy, and actual health.Listen to the full episode: Spotify | AppleFollow Dr. David: Instagram | FacebookResources:Join the waitlist for Multipassionate EntrepreneurFor those in...
2025-06-2508 min
Honestly UnorthodoxWE’RE NOT IN A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS, PART ONE.This is part one of a five-part series in which I lay out five steps that I believe to be powerful shifts toward reclaiming common sense, at least as it relates to education and our mental wellbeing.We’re not in a mental health crisis. We’re also not infected by an absence-of-access-to-mental-health-care plague. Our children are not inherently damaged by virtue of being alive in a world dominated by Silicon Valley. We have a first-world perception problem on the part of fully-developed adult brains. While this may sound reductionist to those invested in the mass-diagnosing of kids...
2025-02-1209 minShe Slays the Day with Dr. Lauryn Brunclik292 - Best Of 2024 (Part 1)As 2024 comes to a close, we’re taking a moment to reflect on another incredible year of She Slays the Day. From inspiring conversations and thought-provoking debates to actionable insights and unforgettable moments, this year’s episodes have been packed with value—whether for your practice, your career, your family, or your personal growth journey.To celebrate, we’re wrapping up the year with two special “Best Of” episodes, showcasing standout clips from some of the highest-rated and most impactful conversations of 2024. These episodes were chosen for the incredible feedback, engagement, and value they brought to you, our amazing...
2024-12-221h 04
SHOCK & Y’ALL- with David Bidler - Adaptable On Purpose, Skills For Students, The Future Of Learning, And Nature Doesn't Negotiate With CultureToday, I’m excited to be joined by David Bidler, the founder of Physiology First and a true leader in the world of 21st-century health education. David’s work focuses on empowering young people by teaching them critical skills around stress and anxiety management, proper sleep habits, and brain health. He’s on a mission to give the next generation the tools they need to thrive physically and mentally. We talk about how David's journey shaped his passion for helping young people develop lifelong skills for resilience.We dive into the real-life challenges kids f...
2024-10-291h 03She Slays the Day with Dr. Lauryn Brunclik284 - Empowering Communities and Transforming Education with a Health-First Approach feat. David BidlerWhat if our education system prioritized health as much as academics? In this week’s episode, Dr. Lauryn is joined by David Bidler, founder of Physiology First, whose mission aligns deeply with a holistic approach to wellness and learning. David shares his vision for a system where students unlock both mental and physical potential through a foundational understanding of their physiology—a shift that could bring the most needed benefits to education today.Their conversation covers how health-first education can transform focus, resilience, and life skills for young people. David explains actionable steps that empower students, parents, and...
2024-10-271h 22
Barbell Shrugged[Physiology First] A Curriculum for Mental and Physical Health w/ David Bidler, Anders Varner, Doug Larson, and Coach Travis MashDavid Bidler is the President of Physiology First-an organization dedicated to teaching the science of health and human potential to youth and families around the world. Through partnerships with schools, free programs for youth, and the online Physiology First University platform David and his team are dedicated to creating a revolution in health education for the next generation. Physiology First built their flagship campus for community health and fitness education in Freeport, Maine in 2019. Physiology First is preparing to launch their next campus in the town of Sale, U.K on September 7th! ...
2024-09-1858 min
Jason Khalipa Podcast053: Why Don't We Call it Brain Health? with David BidlerJason and Gabe sit down with David Bidler for today’s episode of the Jason Khalipa Podcast:
- What is the difference between physiology and psychology?
- Dopamine deficits
- The great division of the future
- The power of choice
- The term "mental health"
- Physiology is the foundation
- Our greatest skill is adaptability
- Nasal breathing and controlling your heart rate
- We need eachother
- The smartphone as a tool
Listen to the Jason Khalipa Podcast every Monday and Thursday on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube.
Physiology First
Follow the Pod
...
2024-06-101h 19
Apogee StrongPhysiology First University: Optimizing Health and Unlock Your Unlimited Potential with David BidlerUnlocking your full potential and achieving peak performance requires a holistic approach to health and well-being. Prioritizing nutrition, exercise, sleep, and stress management, individuals can help you optimize your physical and mental capacities. Embracing lifestyle changes and adopting positive habits empower individuals to reach new levels of vitality and success in their personal and professional endeavors.
David Bidler shares his unconventional journey of self-study through extreme sports and martial arts after leaving school at 14, and how this led him to create Physiology First University which takes a scientific, whole-person approach to helping people of all backgrounds and...
2024-03-3159 min
Feel Better, Live More with Dr Rangan ChatterjeeHow Changing Your Lifestyle Can Fix Your Mental Health & Why Depression and Anxiety Are Not Disorders with David Bidler #408“It’s not that exercise is an antidepressant, it’s that not exercising is a depressant.” So says this week’s guest – and he’s redefining youth mental health education for the 21st century in line with this powerful belief.David Bidler is a social entrepreneur dedicated to reinventing education for the 21st century. In 2019, he founded Physiology First University a non-profit education centre, which teaches the latest science of the brain and body by offering classes - in neuroscience, exercise physiology, sauna and cold exposure, to all ages but with a particular focus on teenagers an...
2023-12-062h 09
KNOW FEAR with Tony BlauerDavid Bidler - Speaker, Author, And Leader In 21st-Century Health EducationThis is an amazing KNOW FEAR® Live Podcast episode featuring David Bidler, talking about teaching our youth the science of health, fitness, and breathing. David is the president of the nonprofit organization, Physiology First, which provides physiology-based mental health education to students and communities across the world. Learn more about Physiology First: https://physiologyfirst.org Best experience, watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/live/DUEgQSwiKaQ?feature=share Don't miss any episodes, subscribe NOW: https://www.youtube.com/@tonyblauer FREE Download! How to overcome fear: https://getknowfear.com/e-book1 GET TRAINED BY COACH BLAUER! The Complete Human...
2023-07-291h 17
Return To AuthenticityEpisode 09: David BidlerReturn to Authenticity, episode 09! It’s Youth Mental Health Awareness week, so this is a fantastic time to share the conversation I recently had with our guest, David Bidler, co-leader of the non-profit @physiologyfirstAs co-leader of @physiologyfirst, David and his partner Lex are dedicated to skills and physiology-based mental health education for youth across the globe. David is also author of the book “Breathe to Perform” and is the co-owner with Lex of The Distance Project, a private training center located in Freeport Maine, focused on breath education for peak athletic...
2022-05-041h 28
From the Ground Up Athletic Performance PodcastDavid Bidler and Lex Clark of Physiology first episode 47 "Providing educational experiences relevant for the 21st century through mastering ones Physiology, Stress, Mental Health, and NeuroplasticityOn this episode I was blessed to sit down with David Bidler and Lex Clark of Physiology First, to discuss a variety of interesting topics pertaining to the educational system. We discuss the goal of physiology first and they define their overarching goal as redefining how we approach mental health, and we spend the next hour discussing many of the methods in which we can more effectively build robust capable individuals through educational means. They partner with schools to provide a curriculum that delivers many of the different topics discussed. They also utilize a decentralized approach and we spend...
2022-03-221h 16
Bo Knows Health55 - David Bidler Knows Physiology First Will Save Our SoulsDavid Bidler is the President of Physiology First, a nonprofit organization that provides 21st century mental health education to students and the larger community that supports them. Through a new online learning platform, Physiology First University, the organization shares brain and body based education and 21st century life skills while working to create a model for mentally healthy technology. 1.) The greatest health problem of our time that we aren’t addressing-the misdiagnosis of millions of children labeled “mentally ill.”
2.) How accelerating technologies can both escalate and potentially help to solve this problem.
3.) The future of “mentally healthy” technology.
2021-07-231h 09
Someone’s StoryDavid Bidler: The Pace of our Race for the Future (S3E10)I’m very excited to present this conversation with my guest David Bidler. David is the founder of the organizations Physiology First (@physiologyfirst on IG, https://www.physiologyfirst.org ) and the Distance Project (@the_distance_project on IG), as well as the co-founder of Breathe to Perform (@breathetoperform on IG) and author of a book by the same name (https://www.thebreathetoperformprogram.com ) David and I discuss various topics, including the relationship between physiology and psychiatry, information about his personal and professional background, and what the future looks like for physical and mental health and fitness as well as technology as...
2021-07-091h 09
Ed Harrold Life With Breath PodcastHow Breathing Impacts The Brain AND The Body With David Bidler & Dr. Jose HerreroWhereas the neurophysiology of respiration has traditionally focused on automatic brainstem processes, higher brain mechanisms underlying the cognitive aspects of breathing are gaining increasing interest. Therapeutic techniques have used conscious control and awareness of breathing for millennia with little understanding of the mechanisms underlying their efficacy. We will discuss recent results from our lab using direct intracranial recordings in human patients and simultaneous respiratory measurements. Our data shows that respiration modulates brain excitability of multiple cortical and limbic areas above the brainstem. It also highlights the importance of breathwork to change the way our brains process information from...
2021-05-1459 min
The Chosen OnesA Refreshing Approach to Mental Health with David Bidler at Physiology FirstJoin us for a much needed discussion on the forbidden topic of Mental Health; as well as working with Youth, Making an Impact, and the Future of Humankind. A lot of passion and energy went into this one and I hope you like it!Follow David:LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-bidler-765aa745Website - https://distanceathletics.com/trainer/david-bidler/Twitter - https://twitter.com/bidler_david?lang=enFollow Joe:Website: www.TheChosenOnes.CaYouTube: https://www.youtube.com...
2021-04-2855 min
Do Big Things#72 The Distance Project with David BidlerThank you for dropping in for another installment of the DO BIG THINGS podcast! I’ve got a cool guest for you this week. David Bidler and I have a bunch of stuff in common. Jiu-jitsu, ultramarathons, crazy breathing practices. I couldn’t wait to talk to him to find out what he’s doing at his gym out on the east coast. He’s out there DOING BIG THINGS and helping others find balance, longevity and strength in whatever sport they are into. I really enjoyed our conversation and I think you’re going to learn a lot here.
Athletic Br...
2021-04-062h 10
The Rest and Recovery PodcastEp 49 Stress & Anxiety, Tools for Youth and Building Resilience with David BidlerEPISODE 49
In the latest episode, I speak with second-time guest David Bidler fitness coach and Founder of the Non-Profit Physiology First, and there newest endeavor Physiologiy First University (PFU). The mission of Physiology First is to equip and empower youth in managing through stress and anxiety to build resilience.
We cover the ever important topic of mental health, in particular with our youth. We discuss a variety of tips and tools that parents, students and schools can use to equip them to better understand the growing concern in how they feel, affirm the feeling to c...
2021-03-0551 min
Move Your Brain Move Your BodyBreathe To Perform With David Bidler - Ep. 56Today on Move Your Brain Move Your Body we have David Bidler! David is a speaker, author, and leader in professional development. David is the CEO of Breathe to Perform which shares the science of stress management and peak performance with industry leaders and their teams. David proudly serves as the President of the nonprofit organization Physiology First and presents material from the Breathe to Perform program to students and teachers throughout the United States. David owns The Distance Project: Strength and Conditioning, in Freeport, Maine and is an avid endurance athlete and ultramarathon competitor.
Show...
2021-01-2235 min
2020-11-041h 06
2020-11-041h 06
Forging Mettle Podcast003 | David Bidler | In the sport of life, to talk about mindset, we must talk physiology firstIn this intriguing discussion David walks us through how to use our breathing as a superpower to not only regulate our physiology, but also our stress levels. In these chaotic times, this message carries even more importance. By understanding our physiology, we can better manage our mental health through our mind-body connection.
About David
David Bidler is a speaker, author, and leader in professional development. David is the CEO of Breathe to Perform which shares the science of stress management and peak performance with industry leaders and their teams. David proudly serves as the President o...
2020-11-0443 min
Bravest PodcastChange Starts Within With David BidlerOn this episode, I pick up my conversation with David Bidler. With the ongoing reality of COVID19 as well as everything that has happened in response to the murder of George Floyd, David believes we are at a powerful time in our existence. He sees this as an opportunity to ask better questions about what we want the future to look like, and an opportunity to make change a reality. As critical as the conversation is about race, and human rights, and social activism, this episode with David is not directly about that. While, as we learn...
2020-06-151h 23
Bravest PodcastBreathe To Perform With David BidlerOn this episode, I sit down with ultra-runner, coach, educator & author David Bidler. Among the many projects David is involved in, his recent work is focused on helping our youth develop tools to prepare them to become our leaders of tomorrow. Central to this mission is helping educate kids to utilize the breath as a tool to address mental health issues. In this discussion we go broad and deep, covering issues such as David’s untraditional path, what ultra-running is and is not, what we as parents can do to help our kids through this COVID19 situation, and some in...
2020-06-011h 20
The Rest and Recovery PodcastEpisode 12: Anxiety in Youth, Equipping Families and Schools to Combat Mental Health Challenges with David BidlerIn the latest episode, I speak with David Bidler fitness coach and Founder of the Non-Profit Physiology First. The mission of Physiology First is to equip and empower youth in managing through stress and anxiety.
We cover the ever important topic of mental health, in particular with our youth. We discuss a variety of tips and tools that parents, students and schools can use to equip them to better understand the growing concern in how they feel, affirm the feeling to clearly understand what and why it might be happening and encourage youth that they can take...
2020-05-0537 min
Territory Run PodcastImproving performance through MindfulnessMindfulness is a tool to help you feel better, perform better and live better. It will make you happier, stronger and fitter. Ultrarunner, Ian Ramsey has been utilizing meditation, breathing exercises and other mindfulness practices to take his mind and body to the next level. Ian lays out why Navy Seals, professional athletes and CEO's of the largest companies are all meditating and how to get your started implementing mindful practices into your own life.Resources:Apps:Breathe to Perform (Breathwork)Headspace (Mindfulness)Insight Timer...
2019-11-0756 min
OFFBALL AthleteS3E3 - Resolving the Youth Anxiety Crisis with David BidlerWhat if our sensation and information rich environments are evolving faster than we can adapt? This is an incredibly important conversation for current culture as my guest David Bidler breaks down his understanding of youth anxiety, why it is critical for us to intervene and how we all have the power to better manage our states through breath awareness and control.Special shout out to Dr.Andrew Huberman for his work with stress and Anxiety as well as Brian Mackenzie and Rob Wilson for their seminal work in breath training through Power Speed Endurance and #ArtofBreath
2019-09-181h 23