Shows
The Discover Strength PodcastGetting Lean: Heavy vs. Light Weights and Discover Strength’s New ResearchDiscover Strength CEO and exercise physiologist Luke Carlson takes you behind the scenes of Project Discover—our ongoing effort to advance the science of strength training and lead the movement in evidence-based exercise.In this episode, Luke shares: The history of Discover Strength’s published research and collaborations with Dr. James Fisher and Dr. James Steele. Why our supervised, high-quality training environment is ideal for groundbreaking studies. Highlights from past studies on pre-exhaustion, eccentric training, breakdown sets, virtual training, and lengthened partials. The myth-busting findings from our heavy vs. light weights for fat loss study.Details on our l...2025-07-1822 minThe Discover Strength Podcast30 Marathons. 20 Lessons Learned.In this powerful solo episode, Luke Carlson—CEO of Discover Strength shares 20 hard-earned lessons from completing 30 marathons over the past two decades. Blending cutting-edge exercise science with personal experimentation, Luke explores the real factors that drive performance: running economy, durability, strength training, progressive overload, nutrition, body composition, mental fortitude, and more.Listeners will learn:Why strength training is essential for runners—and how it improves late-race performanceHow durability (not VO2 max) may be the best predictor of marathon successThe truth about running and fat loss (spoiler: it's not what you think)The critical role of mantras, mind...2025-07-0937 minThe Discover Strength Podcast4 Best Practices to Determine if Fitness Information is CredibleFitness content is everywhere—but how do you separate science from sound bites?In this episode of the Discover Strength Podcast, CEO and exercise physiologist Luke Carlson shares four expert-backed filters for determining whether fitness information is credible. Learn why flashy confidence is a red flag, why you shouldn’t blindly follow the fittest person in the room, and how real experts lean into scientific nuance—not oversimplified answers.You’ll learn: ✅ Why conviction isn’t credibility ✅ Why “fit” doesn’t mean “right” ✅ How to recognize when an “expert” is speaking outside their domain ✅ What it reall...2025-06-2113 minThe Discover Strength PodcastFit Fat Paradox Explained: Fitness vs. Fatness for Longevity & HealthFor years, we've been told that losing weight is the key to better health. But what if everything you thought you knew about fitness and fatness is wrong? In this episode, Discover Strength CEO and exercise physiologist Luke Carlson unpacks the science behind the Fit and Fat Paradox — revealing why being aerobically fit and strong matters far more than the number on the scale.You’ll learn:Why fitness (VO2 Max and strength) trumps weight as a predictor of mortalityHow healthcare professionals and even fitness experts fall into anti-fat biasThe surprising role strength training plays in impr...2025-06-1315 minThe Discover Strength Podcast3 Here and Now Focuses To Get More from Your Next WorkoutIn this episode of the Discover Strength Podcast, CEO and exercise physiologist Luke Carlson breaks down three powerful "here and now" techniques to immediately improve the quality of your next strength training workout. From eliminating momentum at the start of each rep, to applying maximum effort with proper intent, and maintaining perfect form regardless of how many reps you did last time—these science-backed strategies will elevate every set. Whether you're an elite athlete or training for longevity, these principles apply to you.Discover Strength offers free Introductory Workouts at any location across the United States. You ca...2025-06-0709 minThe Discover Strength PodcastBusting Myths About Strength Training For Women with Dr. Lauren Colenso-SempleOn this episode of the Discover Strength Podcast, CEO Luke Carlson is joined by Dr. Lauren Colenso-Semple, a leading researcher at McMaster University, to bust the top myths about strength training for women, especially during menopause. They unpack the truth about lifting heavy, the role of estrogen, cortisol misconceptions, and the science behind “cycle syncing.” Dr. Colenso-Semple also shares practical, research-backed guidelines for effective resistance training at any age—and why it doesn’t need to be complicated.Follow Dr. Colenso-Semple on Instagram: @dr.lauren.cs1Discover Strength offers free Introductory Workouts at any location across t...2025-05-2924 minThe Discover Strength Podcast10 Questions with Dr. James FisherIn this episode of the Discover Strength Podcast, CEO Luke Carlson is joined by esteemed strength training researcher Dr. James Fisher for a special “10 Questions” conversation. With over 130 scientific publications to his name, Dr. Fisher dives deep into some of the most pressing topics in resistance training today—from the science behind training at long muscle lengths and the most common myths about women and strength training, to the minimal effective dose for strength gains and the role of supervision in maximizing workout outcomes. They also explore Dr. Fisher’s thoughts on optimal training intensity, misconceptions around volume, strength training...2025-05-2354 minThe Discover Strength Podcast6 Insights from the 2025 Discover Strength Summitn this episode, CEO Luke Carlson recaps six powerful insights from the 2025 Discover Strength Summit in Dallas. From expert perspectives on pain management and resistance training for older adults, to hospitality-driven leadership lessons and the fight against health misinformation—this episode is packed with actionable takeaways for fitness professionals and clients alike.Discover Strength offers free Introductory Workouts at any location across the United States. You can schedule your free Introductory Workout HERE !2025-05-0125 minThe Discover Strength PodcastStrength Training and Physiological Resilience in Long Distance RunnersIn this episode of the Discover Strength Podcast, CEO and exercise physiologist Luke Carlson dives into groundbreaking new research on how strength training enhances running economy and durability for long-distance runners. Fresh off the Boston Marathon, Luke shares key findings from a study published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, explaining why strength training isn't just beneficial—it's essential for maintaining performance late in a race. Discover Strength offers free Introductory Workouts at any location across the United States. You can schedule your free Introductory Workout HERE !2025-04-2611 minThe Discover Strength PodcastStrength Training and Pregnancy with Dr. Alyssa LarishOn this episode of the Discover Strength Podcast, CEO and exercise physiologist Luke Carlson is joined by Dr. Alyssa Larish, academic obstetrician, researcher at the Mayo Clinic, and competitive athlete. They dive into the latest evidence around exercise and pregnancy, the benefits of resistance training for maternal and fetal health, common myths, safe training guidelines, and how to optimize postpartum recovery. Dr. Larrish also shares her own training journey as she prepares for a speed climb on Everest.Discover Strength offers free Introductory Workouts at any location across the United States. You can schedule your free Introductory...2025-04-1723 minThe Discover Strength PodcastMore is Not Better and the Multiple Set MythIn this episode of the Discover Strength Podcast, CEO and exercise physiologist Luke Carlson challenges one of the biggest myths in fitness — that more is better when it comes to strength training. Luke unpacks the history behind the popular "3 sets of 10" approach, shares insights from his time with the Minnesota Vikings, and breaks down decades of research supporting single-set training. Learn why doing less can actually help you achieve more strength, muscle growth, and health benefits — all while saving time.Discover Strength offers free Introductory Workouts at any location across the United States. You can schedule your free...2025-04-1017 minThe Discover Strength PodcastProtein Action PlanIn this episode of the Discover Strength Podcast, CEO and exercise physiologist Luke Carlson breaks down the latest research on protein and how it can amplify the benefits of your strength training. Luke shares a practical 5-point protein action plan, covering everything from how much protein you need, when to consume it, and why it's especially important as you age or aim to improve body composition. Discover Strength offers free Introductory Workouts at any location across the United States. You can schedule your free Introductory Workout HERE !2025-03-3116 minThe Discover Strength Podcast3 Keys To Training For A CompetitionIn this episode of the Discover Strength Podcast, CEO and exercise physiologist Luke Carlson breaks down three essential strategies for effectively integrating strength training into your competition prep—no matter the sport.Discover Strength offers free Introductory Workouts at any location across the United States. You can schedule your free Introductory Workout HERE !2025-03-2417 minThe Discover Strength PodcastLive from the 2025 Health and Fitness Association ConventionLive from Las Vegas, Discover Strength CEO and exercise physiologist Luke Carlson is joined by a panel of experts—David Geschneidner, Rick Ricknell, and Taylor Melvin—to break down the six biggest insights from the Health & Fitness Association’s 2025 Convention.Discover Strength offers free Introductory Workouts at any location across the United States. You can schedule your free Introductory Workout HERE !2025-03-1417 minThe Discover Strength PodcastResistance Exercise Effects on Pre, Peri, and Post Menopausal FemalesIn this episode, Luke Carlson dives into groundbreaking new research on the effects of strength training for women across different stages of menopause. Published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, this study examines how hormonal changes impact strength gains, balance, and muscle adaptation.Discover Strength offers free Introductory Workouts at any location across the United States. You can schedule your free Introductory Workout HERE !2025-03-0209 minThe Discover Strength Podcast10 Books to Shape Your Work and LeadershipIn this episode, Discover Strength CEO and exercise physiologist Luke Carlson shares the ten books that have had the greatest impact on his leadership, business philosophy, and the foundation of Discover Strength. Dividing them into three categories—business, leadership, and biographies—Luke discusses why these books matter and how their insights can shape the way you think about work, leadership, and building a successful company. Whether you're an entrepreneur, leader, or just passionate about growth, this episode will give you a powerful reading list to elevate your thinking.Discover Strength offers free Introductory Workouts at any location acro...2025-02-2421 minThe Discover Strength PodcastMachines Are AwesomeIn this episode of the Discover Strength Podcast, Luke Carlson explores the growing popularity of strength training and the critical role that machines play in maximizing results. With the fitness industry shifting towards resistance training, Luke debunks common myths surrounding free weights and highlights seven key benefits of using strength training machines.Discover Strength offers free Introductory Workouts at any location across the United States. You can schedule your free Introductory Workout HERE !2025-02-1730 minThe Discover Strength PodcastHow to Improve Your Body CompositionJoin Luke Carlson, CEO of Discover Strength, as he dives into the science behind improving body composition and the evolution of the Body Comp Challenge, a program that has helped clients build muscle and lose fat for over 16 years. Luke shares the origins of the challenge, the latest research on strength training, protein intake, and fat loss, and what Discover Strength has learned along the way.Discover Strength offers free Introductory Workouts at any location across the United States. You can schedule your free Introductory Workout HERE !2025-02-0918 minThe Discover Strength Podcast5 Practices to Stay Motivated When You Don't Want to Work OutJoin Luke Carlson, CEO of Discover Strength and exercise physiologist, as he shares five practical strategies for staying motivated when you don’t feel like working out.Discover Strength offers free Introductory Workouts at any location across the United States. You can schedule your free Introductory Workout HERE !2025-02-0118 minThe Discover Strength PodcastWorkout Focus: Core TrainingIn this episode of the Discover Strength Podcast, CEO and exercise physiologist Luke Carlson dives into the popular yet often misunderstood topic of core training. Luke explores the origins and evolution of core training, its widespread popularity in fitness culture, and its scientific validity. He clarifies what the "core" actually encompasses and addresses common misconceptions about its role in improving performance, preventing injuries, and achieving aesthetic goals.Discover Strength offers free Introductory Workouts at any location across the United States. You can schedule your free Introductory Workout HERE !2025-01-2518 minThe Discover Strength PodcastWorkout Focus: Body CompositionIn this episode of the Discover Strength Podcast, CEO and exercise physiologist Luke Carlson explores the impact of resistance training on body composition. Luke explains how strength training increases lean muscle tissue at any age, enhancing resting metabolic rate and long-term fat reduction. He dives into the benefits of training to muscle failure, which boosts calorie expenditure post-workout, and contrasts this with the limited calorie-burning effects of aerobic exercise. Luke emphasizes the importance of assessing body composition, not just weight loss, to focus on fat loss and retain muscle mass. This episode provides practical insights into improving body composition...2025-01-2010 minThe Discover Strength PodcastWorkout Focus: Rep Range and Weight and Their Effect on Toning or BulkingIn this episode of the Discover Strength Podcast, CEO and exercise physiologist Luke Carlson dives into one of the most enduring myths in strength training: the belief that repetition ranges and weight loads exclusively determine muscle strength, endurance, size, and tone. Luke debunks these misconceptions with research-backed insights, emphasizing that reaching muscle failure—whether at 5 reps with heavy weight or 45 reps with light weight—is the critical factor in achieving strength and endurance improvements.Discover Strength offers free Introductory Workouts at any location across the United States. You can schedule your free Introductory Workout HERE !2025-01-1116 minThe Discover Strength PodcastLengthened Partials Study with James Fisher PhD, James Steele PhD, and David GschneidnerIn this episode of the Discover Strength Podcast, Luke Carlson has three special guests on to discuss the Lengthened Partials Study that was conducted across 15 Discover Strength locations. James Fisher PhD, James Steele PhD, and David Gschneidner will discuss the importance of this study, the design, and the results! We want to thank all of the exercise physiologists who were involved in conducting these workouts and the clients who participated. This is the largest study of its kind, and we are driven and excited to continue adding to the body of resistance exercise research. Discover Strength offers f...2025-01-0430 minThe Discover Strength PodcastWorkout Focus: InjuriesIn this episode of the Discover Strength Podcast, Luke Carlson dives into the critical focus of injury prevention and safe strength training practices. Drawing from decades of experience in professional sports and fitness, Luke explores the philosophy of “first, do no harm” and offers actionable insights to ensure your workouts build strength without compromising your health.Discover Strength offers free Introductory Workouts at any location across the United States. You can schedule your free Introductory Workout HERE !2024-12-2921 minThe Discover Strength PodcastNEW STUDY: Single-set versus multiple-set strength trainingIn this episode of the Discover Strength Podcast, CEO and exercise physiologist Luke Carlson delves into a new study on single-set versus multiple-set strength training. Discover the evidence-based insights on training to failure, its impact on muscle growth, power, and endurance, and how this research challenges decades of conventional wisdom.Discover Strength offers free Introductory Workouts at any location across the United States. You can schedule your free Introductory Workout HERE !2024-12-2319 minThe Discover Strength PodcastWorkout Focus: EccentricsIn this episode of the Discover Strength Podcast, CEO and exercise physiologist Luke Carlson delves into eccentric muscle contractions. Learn why the often-overlooked "lowering phase" of strength training exercises is more beneficial than lifting, and how focusing on eccentrics can lead to greater strength, hypertrophy, and even faster recovery. From practical workout tips to groundbreaking research, Luke explores the magic of eccentrics, their role in targeting fast-twitch muscle fibers, and their applications for athletes, aging populations, and rehabilitation.Discover Strength offers free Introductory Workouts at any location across the United States. You can schedule your free Introductory...2024-12-1412 minThe Discover Strength PodcastWorkout Focus: Progressive OverloadIn this episode of the Discover Strength Podcast, CEO and exercise physiologist Luke Carlson dives deep into the concept of progressive overload—a foundational principle of strength training. Discover Strength offers free Introductory Workouts at any location across the United States. You can schedule your free Introductory Workout HERE !2024-12-0909 min
Bad HOAOrange County HOA Law Pioneers: From Surf Breaks to Legal BreakthroughsIn this special episode of the Bad HOA Podcast, we take a unique look at Orange County's HOA landscape through the eyes of attorney Luke Carlson. From his early days as a competitive surfer to becoming a pioneer in homeowner representation, Luke shares how a single Orange County roofing dispute revealed the need for specialized HOA representation in the region.
Join Luke and Producer Marty Vasquez as they explore:
* The unique geographical challenges of Orange County HOAs
* How local terrain shapes property disputes, from coastal views to slope maintenance
2024-12-0731 minThe Discover Strength PodcastWorkout Focus: Momentary Muscle FailureIn this episode of the Discover Strength Podcast, host Luke Carlson, CEO of Discover Strength and an exercise physiologist, dives into the fourth Workout Focus in this mini-series: momentary muscle failure. This concept shifts the emphasis from the number of reps or the weight lifted to the importance of training until you can no longer perform another repetition with perfect form.Discover Strength offers free Introductory Workouts at any location across the United States. You can schedule your free Introductory Workout HERE !2024-11-2909 minThe Discover Strength PodcastWorkout Focus: RecoveryIn this episode, Luke Carlson, CEO of Discover Strength and exercise physiologist, dives into the vital role of recovery in optimizing strength training results. Often overlooked, recovery is where the real magic happens—allowing your body to repair, rebuild, and reap the benefits of your hard work.Discover Strength offers free Introductory Workouts at any location across the United States. You can schedule your free Introductory Workout HERE !2024-11-2410 minThe Discover Strength PodcastWorkout Focus: One SetIn this episode of the Discover Strength Podcast, CEO and exercise physiologist Luke Carlson dives into the second installment of the "Workout Focus" series. The topic? The power of one set. Luke unpacks the science behind why a single, intense set can produce the same—if not better—strength training results compared to the traditional 3 sets of 10 approach. He delves into the history of sets, the role of muscle fiber recruitment, and the surprising findings on calorie burn and time efficiency. Discover Strength offers free Introductory Workouts at any location across the United States. You can schedule your...2024-11-1605 minThe Discover Strength PodcastWorkout Focus: Move Slow and Eliminate MomentumWe are launching a mini-series! Over the next 12 weeks, Luke will discuss one thing each week that you can obsess over before your workouts so you can get more out of them. These are foundational to any strength training workout, and you also have control over these 12 focuses. Discover Strength offers free Introductory Workouts at any location across the United States. You can schedule your free Introductory Workout HERE !2024-11-0909 minThe Discover Strength PodcastSharpen The SawIn this episode of the Discover Strength Podcast, Luke Carlson discusses Steven Covey's concept of "Sharpen the Saw" from his 1989 best-seller, "Seven Habits of Highly Effective People." Covey challenges the reader to have mechanisms to "sharpen the saw" in 4 different components: Physical, social, emotional, spiritual, and emotional. Luke walks through what his "saw sharpening" mechanisms are to inspire you to create your own. Discover Strength offers free Introductory Workouts at any location across the United States. You can schedule your free Introductory Workout HERE !2024-11-0215 minThe Discover Strength PodcastNever Stop ImprovingIn this episode of the Discover Strength Podcast, Luke Carlson discusses the "Never Stop Improving" ethos. Discover Strength offers free Introductory Workouts at any location across the United States. You can schedule your free Introductory Workout HERE !2024-10-2707 min