Exercise Is Health

At Muscle Activation Schaumburg, we believe your health is your most valuable asset. Join hosts Charlie and Julie Cates as they discuss how to utilize exercise to help improve and maintain your health, as well as interviews with health and wellness experts from various fields including chiropractic, accupuncture, psychology, nutrition, and functional medicine. Both Charlie and Julie are certified personal trainers and Muscle Activation Techniques® practitioners in Schaumburg, IL.

E423 - What To Expect When You Go From Symptom-Focused MAT To Strength-Focused MAT 02/04/2026

E423 - What To Expect When You Go From Symptom-Focused MAT To Strength-Focused MAT Get Started With Muscle Activation Techniques® To Loosen Your Tight & Achy Muscles Without Stretching: Muscle Activation Techniques® (MAT) is one of the most effective ways to calm down muscle- and joint-related symptoms, but its power doesn’t end there. Once your symptoms are addressed and you are feeling well, it is time to move to the next stage of MAT, and this is where things get taken to a whole new level. And, when you make that jump with MAT to level up your body, the progress from one session to the next can look different than when you were simply having symptoms addressed. While this progression catches a lot of people off guard, it is actually a really good sign from your body, and on this week’s episode of the Exercise Is Health® podcast, we are diving into why this is and what is happening with your body at these new levels. If you have ever wondered if MAT is only useful for addressing symptoms, listen up! There is a whole world of possibilities that you get access to when you start to level up your MAT, and that’s exactly what we are telling you about in this conversation. Check out all the details in this week’s episode! Ready to schedule your first Muscle Activation Techniques® session with us? Click here to get started: Looking for custom workout programming that gets designed to your exact specifications to build your strength and athleticism? Sign up for PRO Strength & Performance Programming: Would you like to have our guidance implementing the 4 Exercise For Life Principles while you workout? Join the Exercise For Life Membership for free for 30 days! Just head to to get started! Did you find this episode helpful? Let us know by leaving us a rating and review on the following platforms: – Apple Podcasts: – Spotify: Want to grab a free copy of our best-selling book, “The Exercise For Life Method”? Click here to order yours while copies are still available! Just cover the cost of shipping and handling to have it delivered right to you. Follow us on Instagram for more exercise tips and content about MAT here: – Muscle Activation Schaumburg: – Julie Cates: – Charlie Cates: /episode/index/show/exerciseishealth/id/39971370

E422 - New MAT Updates We've Been Using 01/28/2026

E422 - New MAT Updates We've Been Using Get Started With Muscle Activation Techniques® To Loosen Your Tight & Achy Muscles Without Stretching: For over a decade we’ve been practicing MATRx–the highest level of Muscle Activation Techniques®–but two months ago that changed. For the last couple of months we have been practicing a brand new version of Muscle Activation Techniques®, and the results have been nothing short of remarkable. The changes we have seen within our clients and ourselves during our sessions have left us truly amazed by this new process, and that is what we want to tell you about today. On this week’s episode of the Exercise Is Health® podcast, we are discussing all of the incredible things we have seen and experienced since implementing this new Muscle Activation Techniques® process. We lay out why this new process is so powerful and why the changes that have been made are so impactful when it comes to living a strong, pain-free life. If you have been hearing about some new Muscle Activation Techniques® processes that are being taught but aren’t sure what they are all about, listen up! This conversation will shed light on exactly what you need to know. Check out all the details in this week’s episode! Ready to schedule your first Muscle Activation Techniques® session with us? Click here to get started: Looking for custom workout programming that gets designed to your exact specifications to build your strength and athleticism? Sign up for PRO Strength & Performance Programming: Would you like to have our guidance implementing the 4 Exercise For Life Principles while you workout? Join the Exercise For Life Membership for free for 30 days! Just head to to get started! Did you find this episode helpful? Let us know by leaving us a rating and review on the following platforms: – Apple Podcasts: – Spotify: Want to grab a free copy of our best-selling book, “The Exercise For Life Method”? Click here to order yours while copies are still available! Just cover the cost of shipping and handling to have it delivered right to you. Follow us on Instagram for more exercise tips and content about MAT here: – Muscle Activation Schaumburg: – Julie Cates: – Charlie Cates: /episode/index/show/exerciseishealth/id/39897135

E421 - How To Navigate An Acute Muscle Flare Up 01/21/2026

E421 - How To Navigate An Acute Muscle Flare Up Get Started With Muscle Activation Techniques® To Loosen Your Tight & Achy Muscles Without Stretching: What do you do when your body flares up while living your life? Maybe you were shoveling snow and all of the sudden your back got tweaked. Or perhaps you were putting boxes up high on a shelf and all of a sudden your shoulder started to hurt. Or maybe walking down your stairs and your knee muscles felt like they were going to give out. Whatever flare up happens, having a plan of action to get your body back on course is critical to make sure you are able to continue living your life. So, what is your plan of action when these events happen? On this week’s episode of the Exercise Is Health® podcast, we are laying out the exact plan of action we recommend to all of our clients when something comes up with their body. If you have ever had to spend weeks nursing your body back to health after something got flared up, listen up! What we share in this conversation can get you back to living your life to the fullest faster. Check out all the details in this week’s episode! Ready to schedule your first Muscle Activation Techniques® session with us? Click here to get started: Looking for custom workout programming that gets designed to your exact specifications to build your strength and athleticism? Sign up for PRO Strength & Performance Programming: Would you like to have our guidance implementing the 4 Exercise For Life Principles while you workout? Join the Exercise For Life Membership for free for 30 days! Just head to to get started! Did you find this episode helpful? Let us know by leaving us a rating and review on the following platforms: – Apple Podcasts: – Spotify: Want to grab a free copy of our best-selling book, “The Exercise For Life Method”? Click here to order yours while copies are still available! Just cover the cost of shipping and handling to have it delivered right to you. Follow us on Instagram for more exercise tips and content about MAT here: – Muscle Activation Schaumburg: – Julie Cates: – Charlie Cates: /episode/index/show/exerciseishealth/id/39810345

E420 - How To Stay Safe While Lifting Heavy 01/15/2026

E420 - How To Stay Safe While Lifting Heavy Get Started With Muscle Activation Techniques® To Loosen Your Tight & Achy Muscles Without Stretching: Challenging your body is a non-negotiable if you want to build strength and get results with your workouts. Often, increasing the challenge means increasing the amount of weight you use when you strength train. However, many people are hesitant to increase their weights and lift heavier out of fear of injuring themselves. So, how can you actually lift as heavy as you need to in order to get the results you want while still staying safe during your workouts? On this week’s episode of the Exercise Is Health® podcast, we are doing a deep dive on what needs to happen during your workouts to toe this line of “lift as heavy as you can while maintaining as low of a risk for injury as possible”. If you know you need to start challenging yourself more during your workouts but aren’t sure how to do so without hurting yourself, listen up! What we share in this conversation is must-know information. Check out all the details in this week’s episode! Ready to schedule your first Muscle Activation Techniques® session with us? Click here to get started: Looking for custom workout programming that gets designed to your exact specifications to build your strength and athleticism? Sign up for PRO Strength & Performance Programming: Would you like to have our guidance implementing the 4 Exercise For Life Principles while you workout? Join the Exercise For Life Membership for free for 30 days! Just head to to get started! Did you find this episode helpful? Let us know by leaving us a rating and review on the following platforms: – Apple Podcasts: – Spotify: Want to grab a free copy of our best-selling book, “The Exercise For Life Method”? Click here to order yours while copies are still available! Just cover the cost of shipping and handling to have it delivered right to you. Follow us on Instagram for more exercise tips and content about MAT here: – Muscle Activation Schaumburg: – Julie Cates: – Charlie Cates: /episode/index/show/exerciseishealth/id/39740600

E419 - The One Thing To Prioritize With Your Workouts In 2026 01/07/2026

E418 - Our Biggest Takeaways From 2025 12/31/2025

E418 - Our Biggest Takeaways From 2025 Get Started With Muscle Activation Techniques® To Loosen Your Tight & Achy Muscles Without Stretching: 2025 was a year full of getting more and more clear on what really matters in order for our clients to feel and function their best. While much of our philosophy has stayed the same over the past 12 months, there were some really big takeaways that we are bringing into 2026 with us that have shown themselves to be key elements to feeling strong and functioning well long-term. On this week’s episode of the Exercise Is Health® podcast, we are sharing what our big takeaways from 2025 are and how you can use them to help you increase your strength and overall wellbeing. If you aren’t sure what key principles you should be applying to your health and fitness goals entering the new year, listen up! This conversation lays out exactly what we believe to be the most important for you. Check out all the details in this week’s episode! Ready to schedule your first Muscle Activation Techniques® session with us? Click here to get started: Looking for custom workout programming that gets designed to your exact specifications to build your strength and athleticism? Sign up for PRO Strength & Performance Programming: Would you like to have our guidance implementing the 4 Exercise For Life Principles while you workout? Join the Exercise For Life Membership for free for 30 days! Just head to to get started! Did you find this episode helpful? Let us know by leaving us a rating and review on the following platforms: – Apple Podcasts: – Spotify: Want to grab a free copy of our best-selling book, “The Exercise For Life Method”? Click here to order yours while copies are still available! Just cover the cost of shipping and handling to have it delivered right to you. Follow us on Instagram for more exercise tips and content about MAT here: – Muscle Activation Schaumburg: – Julie Cates: – Charlie Cates: /episode/index/show/exerciseishealth/id/39574395

E417 - Little Red Flags vs. Big Red Flags With Exercise 12/24/2025

E417 - Little Red Flags vs. Big Red Flags With Exercise Get Started With Muscle Activation Techniques® To Loosen Your Tight & Achy Muscles Without Stretching: Your body is constantly talking to you when you workout, and how you interpret what it is saying will have a big impact on the results you get from your workouts. Oftentimes, when somebody’s body tells them they don’t like a specific exercise through aches or pains, that can be justification to not do the exercise, but this can be a huge mistake! Avoiding an exercise entirely because of an ache or pain can be a surefire way to limit your strength and mobility, so how do you make sure you are respecting what your body is saying while still helping it get stronger and more mobile? On this week’s episode of the Exercise Is Health® podcast, we are discussing a framework that we teach our clients to help determine whether what they are feeling means we need to stop an exercise or whether we can keep going forward. This “red flags” framework will help you navigate all the signals your body sends you when you workout to decide whether you are going in the right direction or you need to change course so you don’t get injured. If you have ever felt frustrated because it seems like every exercise you do hurts so you just avoid them altogether, listen up! This conversation can change how you use that “hurting” information during your workouts to make better decisions for your body so you can keep getting stronger without injury. Check out all the details in this week’s episode! Ready to schedule your first Muscle Activation Techniques® session with us? Click here to get started: Looking for custom workout programming that gets designed to your exact specifications to build your strength and athleticism? Sign up for PRO Strength & Performance Programming: Would you like to have our guidance implementing the 4 Exercise For Life Principles while you workout? Join the Exercise For Life Membership for free for 30 days! Just head to to get started! Did you find this episode helpful? Let us know by leaving us a rating and review on the following platforms: – Apple Podcasts: – Spotify: Want to grab a free copy of our best-selling book, “The Exercise For Life Method”? Click here to order yours while copies are still available! Just cover the cost of shipping and handling to have it delivered right to you. Follow us on Instagram for more exercise tips and content about MAT here: – Muscle Activation Schaumburg: – Julie Cates: – Charlie Cates: /episode/index/show/exerciseishealth/id/39524020

E416 - How Soon Can You Start Getting MAT After An Injury? 12/17/2025

E416 - How Soon Can You Start Getting MAT After An Injury? Get Started With Muscle Activation Techniques® To Loosen Your Tight & Achy Muscles Without Stretching: How long should you wait to start getting Muscle Activation Techniques® after an injury? This is a question that a lot of prospective clients have asked us through the years, and while you have heard us discuss MAT before, our answer to this question may surprise you. On this week’s episode of the Exercise Is Health® podcast, we are diving right into this question to give you a very clear answer and show you exactly where we stand on the matter. We discuss considerations we take with every client before giving a firm recommendation, and what you should work through in your own mind before determining whether or not you are ready for MAT. If you know that MAT can help you heal up faster but aren’t sure when it would be appropriate to start, listen up! What we talk about in this conversation will clear that up for you once and for all. Check out all the details in this week’s episode! Ready to schedule your first Muscle Activation Techniques® session with us? Click here to get started: Looking for custom workout programming that gets designed to your exact specifications to build your strength and athleticism? Sign up for PRO Strength & Performance Programming: Would you like to have our guidance implementing the 4 Exercise For Life Principles while you workout? Join the Exercise For Life Membership for free for 30 days! Just head to to get started! Did you find this episode helpful? Let us know by leaving us a rating and review on the following platforms: – Apple Podcasts: – Spotify: Want to grab a free copy of our best-selling book, “The Exercise For Life Method”? Click here to order yours while copies are still available! Just cover the cost of shipping and handling to have it delivered right to you. Follow us on Instagram for more exercise tips and content about MAT here: – Muscle Activation Schaumburg: – Julie Cates: – Charlie Cates: /episode/index/show/exerciseishealth/id/39429880

E415 - A Simple Framework For A 20-Minute Workout 12/10/2025

E415 - A Simple Framework For A 20-Minute Workout Get Started With Muscle Activation Techniques® To Loosen Your Tight & Achy Muscles Without Stretching: This time of year, schedules can be crazy and the opportunities to exercise can feel few and far between. So how can you make sure you make the most of each workout opportunity you have by not wasting time and focusing on exactly what you need to? Over the last six years, we have developed a framework to get a super effective strength training workout done in under 20 minutes, and we want to share it with you on this week’s episode of the Exercise Is Health® podcast. Building off last week’s conversation where we discussed what you need to do to make sure you get your workouts in when your schedule is crazy, we are going to lay out exactly how to structure your workouts for maximum impact in a tight time frame. If you have been unsure of exactly what to do during your workouts and find yourself spending more time making decisions about exercises than actually doing the exercises, you are going to want to write down what we are teaching you in this discussion. Check out all the details in this week’s episode! Ready to schedule your first Muscle Activation Techniques® session with us? Click here to get started: Looking for custom workout programming that gets designed to your exact specifications to build your strength and athleticism? Sign up for PRO Strength & Performance Programming: Would you like to have our guidance implementing the 4 Exercise For Life Principles while you workout? Join the Exercise For Life Membership for free for 30 days! Just head to to get started! Did you find this episode helpful? Let us know by leaving us a rating and review on the following platforms: – Apple Podcasts: – Spotify: Want to grab a free copy of our best-selling book, “The Exercise For Life Method”? Click here to order yours while copies are still available! Just cover the cost of shipping and handling to have it delivered right to you. Follow us on Instagram for more exercise tips and content about MAT here: – Muscle Activation Schaumburg: – Julie Cates: – Charlie Cates: /episode/index/show/exerciseishealth/id/39344015

E414 - How To Get Your Workouts In When Your Schedule Is Crazy 12/03/2025

E413 - An Easy Way To Recover Faster From A Joint Replacement 11/26/2025

E413 - An Easy Way To Recover Faster From A Joint Replacement Get Started With Muscle Activation Techniques® To Loosen Your Tight & Achy Muscles Without Stretching: Joint replacements are something many people experience. Whether it is a shoulder, hip, knee, or even an ankle, joint replacements are extremely common. But did you know that there is something extremely specific you can do before your surgery to help you recover faster after your surgery? In fact, when clients of ours do this one thing for at least six weeks leading up to their surgery, their recovery after surgery goes, on average, 40% faster than the standard. On this week’s episode of the Exercise Is Health® podcast, we are discussing what this one thing is and how you can start implementing it into your week. If you are preparing for a joint replacement, listen up! There is something you can start doing NOW to help you recover faster, and that’s exactly what our conversation is about. Check out all the details in this week’s episode! Ready to schedule your first Muscle Activation Techniques® session with us? Click here to get started: Looking for custom workout programming that gets designed to your exact specifications to build your strength and athleticism? Sign up for PRO Strength & Performance Programming: Would you like to have our guidance implementing the 4 Exercise For Life Principles while you workout? Join the Exercise For Life Membership for free for 30 days! Just head to to get started! Did you find this episode helpful? Let us know by leaving us a rating and review on the following platforms: – Apple Podcasts: – Spotify: Want to grab a free copy of our best-selling book, “The Exercise For Life Method”? Click here to order yours while copies are still available! Just cover the cost of shipping and handling to have it delivered right to you. Follow us on Instagram for more exercise tips and content about MAT here: – Muscle Activation Schaumburg: – Julie Cates: – Charlie Cates: /episode/index/show/exerciseishealth/id/39171820

E412 - An Easy Way To Know When To Increase Your Weights 11/19/2025

E412 - An Easy Way To Know When To Increase Your Weights Get Started With Muscle Activation Techniques® To Loosen Your Tight & Achy Muscles Without Stretching: How do you know when it is time to increase the amount of weight you are using when you strength train? Many people avoid trying to use more weight out of fear of injuring themselves, but there is a simple way to know when your body is ready without having to risk pushing yourself too far. On this week’s episode of the Exercise Is Health® podcast, we are laying out the exact steps we follow with ourselves and our clients to know when our bodies are ready to use more weight during our workouts. If you have ever thought, “Should I be lifting heavier right now?” but weren’t sure if doing so would put you at risk for injury, listen up! What we share in this conversation will help you answer that question for yourself every single workout going forward. Check out all the details in this week’s episode! Ready to schedule your first Muscle Activation Techniques® session with us? Click here to get started: Looking for custom workout programming that gets designed to your exact specifications to build your strength and athleticism? Sign up for PRO Strength & Performance Programming: Would you like to have our guidance implementing the 4 Exercise For Life Principles while you workout? Join the Exercise For Life Membership for free for 30 days! Just head to to get started! Did you find this episode helpful? Let us know by leaving us a rating and review on the following platforms: – Apple Podcasts: – Spotify: Want to grab a free copy of our best-selling book, “The Exercise For Life Method”? Click here to order yours while copies are still available! Just cover the cost of shipping and handling to have it delivered right to you. Follow us on Instagram for more exercise tips and content about MAT here: – Muscle Activation Schaumburg: – Julie Cates: – Charlie Cates: /episode/index/show/exerciseishealth/id/39066310

E411 - The 3 Things You Must Do To Get Results 11/12/2025

E411 - The 3 Things You Must Do To Get Results Get Started With Muscle Activation Techniques® To Loosen Your Tight & Achy Muscles Without Stretching: Getting results from your workouts doesn’t need to be complicated. In fact, the process is very straightforward. Unfortunately, there is so much hype and messaging out there about different systems and modalities claiming to get you all the results you desire and more that it can feel very confusing as to what actually needs to be done. But, whether you are looking to get stronger, build muscle, lose weight, increase your fitness, or accomplish any other goal from your workout, there are only three things you must do. On this week’s episode of the Exercise Is Health® podcast, we are laying out what these three things are and telling you exactly how to start implementing them. If you struggle to get the results you want from your workouts, listen up! This is a telltale sign that you are missing at least one of these three things, but the conversation we have will clear that up for you once and for all. Check out all the details in this week’s episode! Ready to schedule your first Muscle Activation Techniques® session with us? Click here to get started: Looking for custom workout programming that gets designed to your exact specifications to build your strength and athleticism? Sign up for PRO Strength & Performance Programming: Would you like to have our guidance implementing the 4 Exercise For Life Principles while you workout? Join the Exercise For Life Membership for free for 30 days! Just head to to get started! Did you find this episode helpful? Let us know by leaving us a rating and review on the following platforms: – Apple Podcasts: – Spotify: Want to grab a free copy of our best-selling book, “The Exercise For Life Method”? Click here to order yours while copies are still available! Just cover the cost of shipping and handling to have it delivered right to you. Follow us on Instagram for more exercise tips and content about MAT here: – Muscle Activation Schaumburg: – Julie Cates: – Charlie Cates: /episode/index/show/exerciseishealth/id/38998115

E410 - 2 Controversial Statements About Your Feet 11/05/2025

E410 - 2 Controversial Statements About Your Feet Get Started With Muscle Activation Techniques® To Loosen Your Tight & Achy Muscles Without Stretching: Having strong feet is one of the most important parts of having a strong body. When your feet are strong, all of the other areas of your body have the opportunity to feel and function better. But, while we have spent a lot of time talking about the feet on our podcast, there are a couple viewpoints we have on the view that are particularly controversial, especially compared to what most alleged “foot experts” have to say. On this week’s episode of the Exercise Is Health® podcast, we are breaking down what these viewpoints are, why we believe them to be 100% true, and what you can do to start gleaning the benefits of these viewpoints. If you have been taking advice from others on what to do about your feet and feet issues but don’t seem to be making any progress, listen up! This discussion will spell out exactly what you need to know. Check out all the details in this week’s episode! Ready to schedule your first Muscle Activation Techniques® session with us? Click here to get started: Looking for custom workout programming that gets designed to your exact specifications to build your strength and athleticism? Sign up for PRO Strength & Performance Programming: Would you like to have our guidance implementing the 4 Exercise For Life Principles while you workout? Join the Exercise For Life Membership for free for 30 days! Just head to to get started! Did you find this episode helpful? Let us know by leaving us a rating and review on the following platforms: – Apple Podcasts: – Spotify: Want to grab a free copy of our best-selling book, “The Exercise For Life Method”? Click here to order yours while copies are still available! Just cover the cost of shipping and handling to have it delivered right to you. Follow us on Instagram for more exercise tips and content about MAT here: – Muscle Activation Schaumburg: – Julie Cates: – Charlie Cates: /episode/index/show/exerciseishealth/id/38901400

E409 - How To Keep Permanently Altered Joints Healthy 10/29/2025

E409 - How To Keep Permanently Altered Joints Healthy Get Started With Muscle Activation Techniques® To Loosen Your Tight & Achy Muscles Without Stretching: Do you have a permanently altered joint? Maybe you have a hip that has been replaced or a knee that is arthritic. Or maybe there is a torn labrum in your shoulder or a bulging disc in your low back. Whatever your situation, there are specific things you can do to keep your joints healthy even when they’ve been permanently altered. On this week’s episode of the Exercise Is Health® podcast, we are diving into what these things are and how you can implement them into your regular workout routine. If you have been struggling to keep your joints feeling healthy because of various injuries or alterations to them, listen up! The three steps we share in this discussion can completely change that for you. Check out all the details in this week’s episode! Ready to schedule your first Muscle Activation Techniques® session with us? Click here to get started: Looking for custom workout programming that gets designed to your exact specifications to build your strength and athleticism? Sign up for PRO Strength & Performance Programming: Would you like to have our guidance implementing the 4 Exercise For Life Principles while you workout? Join the Exercise For Life Membership for free for 30 days! Just head to to get started! Did you find this episode helpful? Let us know by leaving us a rating and review on the following platforms: – Apple Podcasts: – Spotify: Want to grab a free copy of our best-selling book, “The Exercise For Life Method”? Click here to order yours while copies are still available! Just cover the cost of shipping and handling to have it delivered right to you. Follow us on Instagram for more exercise tips and content about MAT here: – Muscle Activation Schaumburg: – Julie Cates: – Charlie Cates: /episode/index/show/exerciseishealth/id/38809690

E408 - An Unintended Result Of Getting Stronger 10/22/2025

E408 - An Unintended Result Of Getting Stronger Get Started With Muscle Activation Techniques® To Loosen Your Tight & Achy Muscles Without Stretching: Getting stronger will 100% help you keep doing all the things in life you love and feel way more confident in your body while doing so. But, did you know there is another result of getting stronger that will have a huge impact on your life?? In fact, this result is a primary reason why getting stronger is such a crucial part of living an active, independent life. On this week’s episode of the Exercise Is Health® podcast, we are diving into what this result is, how we have seen it play out in our own life, and how it has affected many of the clients we work with, too. If you have been skipping out on your strength training and aren’t sure why you should add it into your routine, listen up! What we share in this conversation can bring light to one of the biggest benefits you will glean from getting stronger. Check out all the details in this week’s episode! Ready to schedule your first Muscle Activation Techniques® session with us? Click here to get started: Looking for custom workout programming that gets designed to your exact specifications to build your strength and athleticism? Sign up for PRO Strength & Performance Programming: Would you like to have our guidance implementing the 4 Exercise For Life Principles while you workout? Join the Exercise For Life Membership for free for 30 days! Just head to to get started! Did you find this episode helpful? Let us know by leaving us a rating and review on the following platforms: – Apple Podcasts: – Spotify: Want to grab a free copy of our best-selling book, “The Exercise For Life Method”? Click here to order yours while copies are still available! Just cover the cost of shipping and handling to have it delivered right to you. Follow us on Instagram for more exercise tips and content about MAT here: – Muscle Activation Schaumburg: – Julie Cates: – Charlie Cates: /episode/index/show/exerciseishealth/id/38743770

E407 - 3 Steps To Decrease Pain When You Strength Train 10/15/2025

E406 - One Big Reason Why Stretching Isn't Helping You Stay Loose 10/08/2025

E406 - One Big Reason Why Stretching Isn't Helping You Stay Loose Get Started With Muscle Activation Techniques® To Keep Your Muscles Strong & Functioning Well: Do you find yourself on the tight/loose rollercoaster with stretching? You feel tight so you stretch. Then you feel looser for a little bit. Then within an hour or so you feel tight again. There is a reason why the tightness keeps coming back and why stretching isn’t helping you stay feeling loose. On this week’s episode of the Exercise Is Health® podcast, that is exactly what we are discussing. While the reason may be shockingly simple, the application of it and how to overcome the feelings of tightness once and for all may surprise you. If you find yourself stretching only to tighten up again faster than you’d like, listen up! There is something you need to know about stretching and tightness that will change how you are looking at things once and for all. Check out all the details in this week’s episode! Ready to schedule your first Muscle Activation Techniques® session with us? Click here to get started: Looking for custom workout programming that gets designed to your exact specifications to build your strength and athleticism? Sign up for PRO Strength & Performance Programming: Would you like to have our guidance implementing the 4 Exercise For Life Principles while you workout? Join the Exercise For Life Membership for free for 30 days! Just head to to get started! Did you find this episode helpful? Let us know by leaving us a rating and review on the following platforms: – Apple Podcasts: – Spotify: Want to grab a free copy of our best-selling book, “The Exercise For Life Method”? Click here to order yours while copies are still available! Just cover the cost of shipping and handling to have it delivered right to you. Follow us on Instagram for more exercise tips and content about MAT here: – Muscle Activation Schaumburg: – Julie Cates: – Charlie Cates: /episode/index/show/exerciseishealth/id/38500500

E405 - The 2 Requirements For Your Muscles To Feel Strong 10/01/2025

E405 - The 2 Requirements For Your Muscles To Feel Strong Get Started With Muscle Activation Techniques® To Keep Your Muscles Strong & Functioning Well: Does it feel like your body is getting weaker with each passing year? In our experience, there are only two potential culprits as to why this is happening, and “getting old” isn’t one of them. The good news is that both of these culprits can be addressed directly and are 100% in your control. What are these reasons that are causing your body to feel weak and what can you do about them? That is exactly what we are discussing in this week’s episode of the Exercise Is Health® podcast. If you have ever thought to yourself, “Why am I feeling so much weaker than I used to,” listen up! This discussion will lay out the specific requirements your muscles have to feel strong and how you can meet them with every workout. Check out all the details in this week’s episode! Ready to schedule your first Muscle Activation Techniques® session with us? Click here to get started: Looking for custom workout programming that gets designed to your exact specifications to build your strength and athleticism? Sign up for PRO Strength & Performance Programming: Would you like to have our guidance implementing the 4 Exercise For Life Principles while you workout? Join the Exercise For Life Membership for free for 30 days! Just head to to get started! Did you find this episode helpful? Let us know by leaving us a rating and review on the following platforms: – Apple Podcasts: – Spotify: Want to grab a free copy of our best-selling book, “The Exercise For Life Method”? Click here to order yours while copies are still available! Just cover the cost of shipping and handling to have it delivered right to you. Follow us on Instagram for more exercise tips and content about MAT here: – Muscle Activation Schaumburg: – Julie Cates: – Charlie Cates: /episode/index/show/exerciseishealth/id/38411130

E404 - How Much Should You Do When You Strength Train? 09/24/2025

E404 - How Much Should You Do When You Strength Train? Get Started With Muscle Activation Techniques® To Keep Your Muscles Strong & Functioning Well: How much should you do when you strength train? Should you do the general three sets of 10 reps that is often promoted, or is there a more nuanced way to get an answer for your individual body? This is a question that a lot of people struggle to answer with their workouts, leaving them feeling sore and injured or feeling like they are unable to consistently make progress. However, there are some fundamental concepts that, once you understand them, will help you easily determine this for yourself every time you lift weights. On this week’s episode of the Exercise Is Health® podcast, we are laying out what these concepts are and how to implement them in your workouts. If you have ever wondered how much you should be doing when you strength train, listen up! What we discuss in this conversation will help you answer that question once and for all. Check out all the details in this week’s episode! Ready to schedule your first Muscle Activation Techniques® session with us? Click here to get started: Looking for custom workout programming that gets designed to your exact specifications to build your strength and athleticism? Sign up for PRO Strength & Performance Programming: Would you like to have our guidance implementing the 4 Exercise For Life Principles while you workout? Join the Exercise For Life Membership for free for 30 days! Just head to to get started! Did you find this episode helpful? Let us know by leaving us a rating and review on the following platforms: – Apple Podcasts: – Spotify: Want to grab a free copy of our best-selling book, “The Exercise For Life Method”? Click here to order yours while copies are still available! Just cover the cost of shipping and handling to have it delivered right to you. Follow us on Instagram for more exercise tips and content about MAT here: – Muscle Activation Schaumburg: – Julie Cates: – Charlie Cates: /episode/index/show/exerciseishealth/id/38332980

E403 - The Two Types of Exercise You Need To Know About 09/17/2025

E403 - The Two Types of Exercise You Need To Know About Get Started With Muscle Activation Techniques® To Keep Your Muscles Strong & Functioning Well: Are you working out consistently but find that your body keeps feeling achier and more beat up? If exercise is supposed to leave us feeling healthier and stronger, why does it often seem to have the opposite effect? Truth be told, there are two distinct types of exercise, and if you are only doing one of them, the results can take a compounding toll on your body. However, once you start to implement the other type of exercise, all of that can quickly change. On this week’s episode of the Exercise Is Health® podcast, we are discussing what these two types of exercise are, what the difference is between them, and how to know if you are doing one versus the other. If you want to use your workouts to set you up for living a long life in a body that feels healthy and strong, listen up! What we share in the conversation is a huge piece of the puzzle to doing exactly that. Check out all the details in this week’s episode! Ready to schedule your first Muscle Activation Techniques® session with us? Click here to get started: Looking for custom workout programming that gets designed to your exact specifications to build your strength and athleticism? Sign up for PRO Strength & Performance Programming: Would you like to have our guidance implementing the 4 Exercise For Life Principles while you workout? Join the Exercise For Life Membership for free for 30 days! Just head to to get started! Did you find this episode helpful? Let us know by leaving us a rating and review on the following platforms: – Apple Podcasts: – Spotify: Want to grab a free copy of our best-selling book, “The Exercise For Life Method”? Click here to order yours while copies are still available! Just cover the cost of shipping and handling to have it delivered right to you. Follow us on Instagram for more exercise tips and content about MAT here: – Muscle Activation Schaumburg: – Julie Cates: – Charlie Cates: /episode/index/show/exerciseishealth/id/38239890

E402 - 3 Common Contributors To Achilles Issues 09/10/2025

E402 - 3 Common Contributors To Achilles Issues Get Started With Muscle Activation Techniques® To Keep Your Muscles Strong & Functioning Well: Achilles issues are one of the most common complaints we help people with at Muscle Activation Schaumburg. Whether it is Achilles tightness in a professional athlete or Achilles pain in a 55 year old runner, the Achilles is a major point of stress for a lot of people. Over the years, however, we have seen three common things come up time and again as contributing factors to Achilles issues. Fortunately, once these are identified within somebody, the steps to address them are relatively straightforward. On this week’s episode of the Exercise Is Health® podcast, we are unveiling what these contributing factors are and what we have seen to be the most effective ways to take care of them. If you have ever experienced Achilles issues only to rely on stretching and icing to help, listen up! There is a much more proactive approach you can take to not only resolve any issues that are present, but ward off future ones from developing, as well. Check out all the details in this week’s episode! Ready to schedule your first Muscle Activation Techniques® session with us? Click here to get started: Looking for custom workout programming that gets designed to your exact specifications to build your strength and athleticism? Sign up for PRO Strength & Performance Programming: Would you like to have our guidance implementing the 4 Exercise For Life Principles while you workout? Join the Exercise For Life Membership for free for 30 days! Just head to to get started! Did you find this episode helpful? Let us know by leaving us a rating and review on the following platforms: – Apple Podcasts: – Spotify: Want to grab a free copy of our best-selling book, “The Exercise For Life Method”? Click here to order yours while copies are still available! Just cover the cost of shipping and handling to have it delivered right to you. Follow us on Instagram for more exercise tips and content about MAT here: – Muscle Activation Schaumburg: – Julie Cates: – Charlie Cates: /episode/index/show/exerciseishealth/id/38149760

E401 - Functional Training vs. Training To Improve Your Function 09/03/2025

E401 - Functional Training vs. Training To Improve Your Function Get Started With Muscle Activation Techniques® To Keep Your Muscles Strong & Functioning Well: “Functional training” is a term often used by the fitness industry to describe ways of exercising that look like they improve people’s ability to perform everyday activities. Key phrase… “that look like”. Because when it comes down to it, most forms of “functional training” actually do the exact opposite. But that does not mean that all ways of exercising will diminish your ability to do everyday activities. So how can you determine if an exercise is helpful or hurtful to your efforts to keep doing the things you enjoy most and what should you be focusing on with your workouts to give you the best chance possible of staying active and independent long-term? On this week’s episode of the Exercise Is Health® podcast, that is exactly what we are diving into. We tell you what you need to know to sift through the nonsense of the mainstream fitness industry and spend your time and energy doing the exercises that will actually move the needle for you. If you have found yourself caught in the “functional training” craze only to find that your progress has been minimal, listen up! What we share in this discussion can change that for you once and for all. Check out all the details in this week’s episode! Ready to schedule your first Muscle Activation Techniques® session with us? Click here to get started: Looking for custom workout programming that gets designed to your exact specifications to build your strength and athleticism? Sign up for PRO Strength & Performance Programming: Would you like to have our guidance implementing the 4 Exercise For Life Principles while you workout? Join the Exercise For Life Membership for free for 30 days! Just head to to get started! Did you find this episode helpful? Let us know by leaving us a rating and review on the following platforms: – Apple Podcasts: – Spotify: Want to grab a free copy of our best-selling book, “The Exercise For Life Method”? Click here to order yours while copies are still available! Just cover the cost of shipping and handling to have it delivered right to you. Follow us on Instagram for more exercise tips and content about MAT here: – Muscle Activation Schaumburg: – Julie Cates: – Charlie Cates: /episode/index/show/exerciseishealth/id/38066120

E400 - Our Biggest Insights From 400 Episodes Of Podcasting 08/27/2025

E399 - An Overlooked Aspect Of Recovery With Muscle Activation Techniques® 08/20/2025

E399 - An Overlooked Aspect Of Recovery With Muscle Activation Techniques® Get Started With Muscle Activation Techniques® To Keep Your Muscles Strong & Functioning Well: Muscle Activation Techniques®, or MAT, is extremely helpful at helping people recover from a number of tweaks, twinges, and injuries. But, there is an aspect of the recovery process with MAT that is often overlooked, and this can have a HUGE influence on how fast the recovery process goes. Over the last 14 years, we have seen that when this aspect of recovery is accounted for, the recovery process can easily be up to 20 times faster than when it is disregarded. On this week’s episode of the Exercise Is Health® podcast, we are unveiling what this aspect of recovery is, why it is so impactful, and what you need to know to use it to your advantage. There is something very straightforward you can do to help your body recover faster with MAT, and this discussion brings it all to light. Check out all the details in this week’s episode! Ready to schedule your first Muscle Activation Techniques® session with us? Click here to get started: Looking for custom workout programming that gets designed to your exact specifications to build your strength and athleticism? Sign up for PRO Strength & Performance Programming: Would you like to have our guidance implementing the 4 Exercise For Life Principles while you workout? Join the Exercise For Life Membership for free for 30 days! Just head to to get started! Did you find this episode helpful? Let us know by leaving us a rating and review on the following platforms: – Apple Podcasts: – Spotify: Want to grab a free copy of our best-selling book, “The Exercise For Life Method”? Click here to order yours while copies are still available! Just cover the cost of shipping and handling to have it delivered right to you. Follow us on Instagram for more exercise tips and content about MAT here: – Muscle Activation Schaumburg: – Julie Cates: – Charlie Cates: /episode/index/show/exerciseishealth/id/37885900

E398 - Celebrating a HUGE Client Win 08/13/2025

E397 - Are You Using The Right Tools? 08/06/2025

E397 - Are You Using The Right Tools? Get Started With Muscle Activation Techniques® To Keep Your Muscles Strong & Functioning Well: Accomplishing the fitness goals you have doesn’t have to be difficult. However, many people make it harder for themselves than it needs to be because they are using the wrong tools to help them get to their goals. In fact, there are just a couple specific things you need to make sure you are doing regularly to help you reach almost any fitness goal you have, but most people completely neglect one or both of them. On this week’s episode of the Exercise Is Health® podcast, we are identifying what these tools are, why they are so important, and how you can start using them consistently. Not only will this make reaching your goals significantly easier, but it will also help you do so quickly and safely. If you have been putting in the effort to reach your goals but feel like you keep falling short, listen up! You may just need to switch the tools you are using to help you reach your goals. Check out all the details in this week’s episode! Ready to schedule your first Muscle Activation Techniques® session with us? Click here to get started: Looking for custom workout programming that gets designed to your exact specifications to build your strength and athleticism? Sign up for PRO Strength & Performance Programming: Would you like to have our guidance implementing the 4 Exercise For Life Principles while you workout? Join the Exercise For Life Membership for free for 30 days! Just head to to get started! Did you find this episode helpful? Let us know by leaving us a rating and review on the following platforms: – Apple Podcasts: – Spotify: Want to grab a free copy of our best-selling book, “The Exercise For Life Method”? Click here to order yours while copies are still available! Just cover the cost of shipping and handling to have it delivered right to you. Follow us on Instagram for more exercise tips and content about MAT here: – Muscle Activation Schaumburg: – Julie Cates: – Charlie Cates: /episode/index/show/exerciseishealth/id/37697040

E396 - What Nobody Is Telling You About Making Progress 07/30/2025

E396 - What Nobody Is Telling You About Making Progress Get Started With Muscle Activation Techniques® To Keep Your Muscles Strong & Functioning Well: If you have been trying to make progress with your strength and fitness, there have likely been some roadblocks you have hit along the way. While we would all love progress to be a linear trajectory from the moment we start working out until the moment we stop, the truth is that progress is anything but linear. In fact, there are three distinct stages of progress that, if you don’t realize it, can completely stop you from achieving the goals you are after with your workouts. However, once you know what these stages are, you can better understand how to navigate each stage and see more clearly when you need to push hard and when you need to back off or change direction. On this week’s episode of the Exercise Is Health® podcast, we are exploring these three distinct stages of progress and laying out what you need to know as you go through each to successfully reach your goals. If you feel stuck with your workouts or believe that what you are doing isn’t working, listen up! You may be getting caught in one of these three stages and metaphorically turning left when you should turn right. This conversation will teach you exactly what you need to do to keep moving forward. Check out all the details in this week’s episode! Ready to schedule your first Muscle Activation Techniques® session with us? Click here to get started: Looking for custom workout programming that gets designed to your exact specifications to build your strength and athleticism? Sign up for PRO Strength & Performance Programming: Would you like to have our guidance implementing the 4 Exercise For Life Principles while you workout? Join the Exercise For Life Membership for free for 30 days! Just head to to get started! Did you find this episode helpful? Let us know by leaving us a rating and review on the following platforms: – Apple Podcasts: – Spotify: Want to grab a free copy of our best-selling book, “The Exercise For Life Method”? Click here to order yours while copies are still available! Just cover the cost of shipping and handling to have it delivered right to you. Follow us on Instagram for more exercise tips and content about MAT here: – Muscle Activation Schaumburg: – Julie Cates: – Charlie Cates: /episode/index/show/exerciseishealth/id/37601465

E395 - The Big Myth of Aging 07/23/2025

E395 - The Big Myth of Aging Get Started With Muscle Activation Techniques® To Keep Your Muscles Strong & Functioning Well: There is a big myth of aging that is constantly told to us from the time we are young. Unfortunately, buying into this myth holds many people back from living the life they want on their terms. And to make matters worse, we can see examples of this myth being true all around us, which makes this myth even easier to believe. What is this big myth of aging? On this week’s episode of the Exercise Is Health® podcast, we are unveiling that answer plus teaching you exactly what you can do to overcome it. We lay out a simple plan to follow that will have you laughing to yourself anytime you hear one of your friends talk about this big myth like it is a fact. And, we share precisely what needs to happen to make sure your body feels and functions great the entire time. If you have been feeling like age–and its effects–are impacting your life, listen up! What we share in this conversation can completely change that for you. Check out all the details in this week’s episode! Ready to schedule your first Muscle Activation Techniques® session with us? Click here to get started: Looking for custom workout programming that gets designed to your exact specifications to build your strength and athleticism? Sign up for PRO Strength & Performance Programming: Would you like to have our guidance implementing the 4 Exercise For Life Principles while you workout? Join the Exercise For Life Membership for free for 30 days! Just head to to get started! Did you find this episode helpful? Let us know by leaving us a rating and review on the following platforms: – Apple Podcasts: – Spotify: Want to grab a free copy of our best-selling book, “The Exercise For Life Method”? Click here to order yours while copies are still available! Just cover the cost of shipping and handling to have it delivered right to you. Follow us on Instagram for more exercise tips and content about MAT here: – Muscle Activation Schaumburg: – Julie Cates: – Charlie Cates: /episode/index/show/exerciseishealth/id/37511850

E394 - How Do You Explain Muscle Activation Techniques®? 07/16/2025

E394 - How Do You Explain Muscle Activation Techniques®? Get Started With Muscle Activation Techniques® To Keep Your Muscles Strong & Functioning Well: Muscle Activation Techniques®, or MAT, is the most powerful process we have come across for helping people increase their strength and mobility while reducing pain and tightness. But, while the effects of MAT are profound, explaining it to somebody can be challenging. Over the years of practicing MAT, we have seen that there are some key concepts that can be easily explained and help people quickly understand not only what MAT is, but why it is important. On this week’s episode of the Exercise Is Health® podcast, we are breaking down these key concepts to present MAT in a simple, straightforward way that is easy to understand. If you have heard us speak about MAT before but aren’t completely sure what it is or how you would explain it to somebody else, listen up! This conversation will clear that up for you once and for all. Check out all the details in this week’s episode! Ready to schedule your first Muscle Activation Techniques® session with us? Click here to get started: Looking for custom workout programming that gets designed to your exact specifications to build your strength and athleticism? Sign up for PRO Strength & Performance Programming: Would you like to have our guidance implementing the 4 Exercise For Life Principles while you workout? Join the Exercise For Life Membership for free for 30 days! Just head to to get started! Did you find this episode helpful? Let us know by leaving us a rating and review on the following platforms: – Apple Podcasts: – Spotify: Want to grab a free copy of our best-selling book, “The Exercise For Life Method”? Click here to order yours while copies are still available! Just cover the cost of shipping and handling to have it delivered right to you. Follow us on Instagram for more exercise tips and content about MAT here: – Muscle Activation Schaumburg: – Julie Cates: – Charlie Cates: /episode/index/show/exerciseishealth/id/37421990

Exercise Is Health

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