Fix Your Core, Fix Your Back: Personal Training Insights You Probably Haven’t Heard Before
Release Date: 07/29/2025
The Truth About a Full Body Exercise Routine: Why High Effort is Everything
Strength Changes Everything
Are your workouts really making a difference, or are you just going through the motions? Amy Hudson and Dr. James Fisher continue the series on the principles of exercise design. In this episode, they cover the pillars of a whole effort exercise session and explain how muscle fatigue, eccentric activation, and glycogen depletion work together to build strength, improve metabolism, and deliver lasting results. Tune in to hear practical tips on how to make sure every session counts and gets you closer to your fitness goals. Amy starts by explaining the three major components of an effective...
info_outline
5 Mindset Shifts to Crush Your Fitness Resolutions in 2026
Strength Changes Everything
Before you set another fitness goal this year, there’s something you need to rethink. Amy Hudson and Dr. James Fisher are here to wish you a happy new year and kick off 2026 with a fresh, grounded perspective on health and exercise. In this episode, they cover five mindset shifts to help you enjoy workouts, focus on real results, and create habits that actually last. If you’re ready to let go of what hasn’t worked and start 2026 with clarity, confidence, and a healthier relationship with movement, this episode is your invitation to do exactly that. Make 2026 your healthiest year yet! ...
info_outline
Benefits to Strength Training: Top 5 Episodes of the Year Reviewed
Strength Changes Everything
What do the most listened-to strength episodes of 2025 reveal about how you train? Amy Hudson and Dr. James Fisher look back at the most-watched and downloaded episodes of 2025. In this episode, they break down the top 5 most downloaded conversations, reveal their favorite moments from the season, and revisit the insights that resonated most with listeners. They cover why strength training works for everyone, how to lose fat without sacrificing muscle, and why safe, sustainable workouts are the real long-term investment. Amy starts by revealing the most downloaded and watched episodes of the...
info_outline
The Science and Application of Exercise Choice and Exercise Order
Strength Changes Everything
Does the order of your exercises actually matter? Amy Hudson and Dr. James Fisher continue the Series on the Principles of Exercise Design. In this episode, they explain how to structure your exercises for maximum strength and muscle growth. They cover why multi-joint movements deliver the biggest results and how to create a routine that is safe, efficient, and effective for real-world performance. Whether you want to maximize gains, avoid injury, or finally feel confident in your workouts, this episode gives you the insights to build routines that actually work. Dr. Fisher starts by...
info_outline
Workout and Recovery Secrets That Actually Work
Strength Changes Everything
Are you sabotaging your strength gains without realizing it? Amy Hudson and Dr. James Fisher continue the Series on the Principles of Exercise Design. In today’s episode, they break down the concept of inroading, explain how every workout triggers both fatigue and adaptation, and reveal why recovery is just as important as effort. They cover how to maximize strength gains, avoid plateaus, optimize training frequency, and use your body’s natural recovery cycle to build lasting progress. Dr. Fisher explains how inroading works. It’s the immediate fatigue you feel when a muscle is pushed...
info_outline
Maximize Your Gains with Proper Muscle Fiber Recruitment
Strength Changes Everything
Are you activating all the muscle fibers in your workout, or are you leaving gains on the table? Amy Hudson and Dr. James Fisher continue their deep dive into the Principles of Exercise Design. In today’s episode, they break down muscle fiber recruitment; why it matters, how your body decides which fibers to use, and what that means for your strength. They cover the Size Principle, the importance of continuous muscular loading, and how to structure your workout to reach the fibers that actually drive growth and performance. Dr. Fisher explains the All-or-Nothing theory and why your muscles...
info_outline
Warming Up: Do You Really Need a Warm-Up Exercise Before Strength Training?
Strength Changes Everything
Do you really need to warm up before a strength training workout? Amy Hudson and Dr. James Fisher kick off a brand-new series titled Principles of Exercise Design. In this series, they’ll break down the key components that make every workout safer, more effective, and better aligned with your goals. In today’s episode, they explore one of the most debated topics in fitness: the warm-up. You’ll learn what science says about warming up, when it’s truly necessary, and why strength training might already include everything your body needs to prepare. Tune in to hear how understanding the...
info_outline
Gratitude Benefits: The Science Behind a Healthier, Happier You
Strength Changes Everything
What if one small daily shift could improve your mood, health, and motivation? Amy Hudson and Dr. James Fisher break down the science and practice of gratitude. In today’s episode, they unpack how gratitude reshapes your outlook on life, boosts exercise habits, and even improves your health. Tune in to hear practical ways to build a daily gratitude practice, the real value of personal trainers, and how positivity ripples through families and communities. Amy explains that with Thanksgiving and the holidays coming up, it’s the perfect moment to look at how gratitude shapes our overall...
info_outline
How to Spot Reliable Fitness and Health Advice Online
Strength Changes Everything
Tired of conflicting fitness and health advice online and not sure what to trust? Amy Hudson and Dr. James Fisher dive deep into how to separate fact from fiction in health, exercise, and wellness. In today’s episode, they unpack how to spot trustworthy research, avoid hype, and make smart decisions for your fitness journey. They break down the biggest myths, why social media isn’t enough, and how a personal trainer can guide you to results that actually stick. Amy starts by explaining why most people feel overwhelmed by fitness advice online. Dr. Fisher explains that not all research is...
info_outline
The Strength Training Benefits You’ll See From the First Month to the First Year
Strength Changes Everything
What benefits can you actually expect in your first year of strength training? Amy Hudson and Dr. James Fisher continue their conversation on the benefits of strength training. In today’s episode, they unpack the real, research-backed adaptations that happen within the first one to 12 months of training. They break down what you can expect to feel after a few weeks, what continues to improve month by month, and why sticking with it pays off far beyond muscle and strength. Amy starts by explaining that exercise isn’t something you do once and tick off your list. It’s a habit that keeps...
info_outlineThink core training is all about crunches and six-packs? What if the real key to a strong, pain-free core is the muscles you can’t see?
Hosts Amy Hudson and Dr. James Fisher dive deep into the science of core strength, bust common myths, and reveal how personal training can help you target the low back and pelvic muscles that truly support your spine, posture, and overall function.
- Today’s episode features hosts Amy Hudson and Dr. James Fisher addressing a listener’s question about the core.
- Dr. Fisher starts his contribution by discussing the origin of the core, as well as where it’s located and why its role is crucial.
- Amy points out that, for many people, “core” is synonymous with abdominals - when, in reality, other muscles, including the back, low back, and pelvic floor, are all part of the core.
- Wondering whether you have weak muscles in your core? If you’ve experienced some degree of low back pain or low back stiffness, then those may be symptoms of a core that needs to be strengthened…
- “One of the most common reasons for non-specific mechanical low back pain, which accounts for about 80% of back pain, is simply weak lumbar muscles,” says Dr. Fisher.
- Furthermore, it’s been shown that strengthening the lumbar muscles can reduce back pain.
- Dr. Fisher explains why the plank isn’t an exercise that can serve as a good assessment of our trunk - or core - muscles.
- Having a weaker core and the challenge of training low back muscles link back to the so-called deconditioning hypothesis - Dr. Fisher unpacks this further.
- Paraphrasing Dr. Fisher, Amy stresses how “It’s not very easy to effectively activate and train and strengthen those muscles in the low back with everyday activities.”
- Dr. Fisher highlights how low back muscles are predominantly type-1 muscle fiber, so they’re not high-force muscles, but rather high-fatigue resistance muscles.
- Dr. Fisher and Amy go through some workout routines that can help strengthen low back muscles (especially the ones you don’t see).
- Working in their laboratories with people with low back pain, Dr. Fisher and his colleagues have seen a 200% strength increase over a 10-week training period.
- Dr. Fisher and Amy talk about why doing a bunch of sit-ups isn’t the right way to obtain six-pack abdominals.
Mentioned in This Episode:
The Exercise Coach - Get 2 Free Sessions!
Submit your questions at StrengthChangesEverything.com
Previous episode - Beyond the Gym: The Role of Protein in Personal and Strength Training Success
Previous episode - Evidence-Based Strength Training: Ditching Old Paradigms for Proven Success
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.