Look Good Move Well
Welcome to the Look Good Move Well Podcast, where you can get fresh ideas for your training, nutrition, and lifestyle to immediately put to use. If you want to be a sexy 80 year old AND throw your grandkids around like basketballs, listen in with Marcus Filly, the creator of Functional Bodybuilding. We’ll be talking about avoiding burnout, keeping your passion alive for training, and fueling your body and mind so you can look good, move well now and for years to come. Want to learn more about the Functional Bodybuilding training method, lifestyle, and programs? Sign up at https://revival-strength.com/free/ for weekly resources. We would love for you to take a minute to head to iTunes and give us a review - we value your feedback and we want to earn all five stars.
2020 is finally OVER! You might be feeling extra pumped about a fresh start - but we can't erase the past months and jump back into fitness and nutrition at warp speed. Build consistency you can keep with some keystone practices that focus on quantity, quality, and movement in a way that will set you up for success.
Want to live a life free from carefully tracking your calories and macronutrients? A worthy goal - and investing in some good data collection first will help set you up for success. Today we're talking about how to balance ballpark approaches and following your body's cues with informed intuition to make sure you get results.
You don’t need to use special breathing tactics to get an effective workout. But if you find yourself seeing stars during heavy slow lifts, or struggling with your breathing during conditioning work, these tips will help. Listen in for why grunting is good - plus a strongly-worded mantra when all else fails.
Ever gotten lean on a calorie deficit, then wondered why it stopped working? When Plan A no longer works, it's time for some self awareness - and perhaps trying something that will push you outside your comfort zone. So what to do instead? We'll hit on the common traps that get people stuck in their nutrition, and take a fresh look at how balancing quantity and quality can get you unstuck.
As we close our 9th season and say goodbye to Misbah, we look back at how Functional Bodybuilding has evolved as a training method where you don’t have to do it just one way. Whether you love heavy snatching or just want to run better, Functional Bodybuilding is a tool that can help keep you healthy and strong for the long haul. And we’d like to know: how has Functional Bodybuilding impacted you? Leave us a message before we return for an all new season!
It sounds so simple - but does it work to change your body simply by burning more calories than you eat? Energy in is impacted by more than just your food. And energy out is more nuanced than your daily sweat sesh. If you’re only focused on calories, the equation will work - to a point. In this episode, we’ll cover what else to consider so your nutrition boosts your metabolism, keeps you from crashing, and stays in the sustainable zone.
In Part One we covered how to calculate your calories - but there’s no such thing as a magic macro formula. Today we dive into where to take this estimation, how it translates to food on your plate, and where to go from there to find a formula that works for you - including common stumbling blocks and other factors that will help make your nutrition plan sustainable.
Is the person with the top workout score the healthiest? Do they have the best body composition? Not necessarily - because chasing intensity in workouts yields a different outcome than conditioning for aesthetics. Today we dive into Functional Pump Conditioning methods for aesthetics, and discuss the difference between that and a performance-focused conditioning approach.
As gyms reopen around the world and quarantine comes to an end, we're reflecting on the biggest takeaways. Shaking up your routine has a way of bringing priorities into focus - will you change anything about your health and fitness now moving forward? We're highlighting our biggest lessons learned about training motivation, simplification, and more.
When the clock cuts you short, take control of your training with these guidelines on how to make the most of your time in the gym. We’ll walk you through a 30 minute, 45 minute, and 60 minute workout blueprint so you have a great session even when kids, calls, and your calendar await.
Feeling bored with staying at home, or finding new windows of time now that your commute is gone? These unique circumstances are the perfect opportunity to direct energy toward the things you’ve wanted to get a handle on for awhile. Take a small step towards better sleep, quality movement, nourishing yourself well, or deepening relationships in your life. Listen in and we’ll show you how.
As the #stayhome movement attempts to fill the fitness gaps with bodyweight workouts and burpees, you may be struggling with motivation or the logistics of working out at home. Moving your body is more important than ever to combat stress and keep you healthy. So here are some keys to getting into a good routine and keeping the positive feedback loop going, whether you have a home gym or just a spot behind the couch.
New year, new you? Some are tempted to go big with New Year’s resolutions that are long gone by June. Or end up reaching goals, only to feel disappointed. In this episode, we dig further into the traditional approach to New Year’s resolutions to transform them from a pass/fail endeavor into an opportunity for reflection and focusing on the feelings we want more of. Then the challenge is creating consistency to bring more safety, energy, health, love, kindness, or whatever you crave into your daily life, bit by bit.
Sexy 80 year old wannabees, listen up! As we age, what can we expect in terms of how our bodies feel and respond to training - and what can we do that’s within our control to stay active and feel a sense of vitality in our later years? We’ll give you some markers to pay attention to and discuss this often neglected topic for Masters athletes as well as those in the general population who want to maintain energy and meet the physical demands of their lives.
For the regular Joe or Jane with a 9-5 job, how much high intensity is appropriate for health and longevity? This episode delivers some food for thought around research studies - as well as real talk on what we see with our clients in the gym every day. Here’s how to know how much is too much intensity, and what to look for when you or your athletes are riding the line.
If the drive through window is a regular part of your routine, today’s episode is for you. What do you do when you want to be fit, but all your friends eat fast food? Or maybe your significant other refuses to give up their gummy bear jar, or you need to entertain clients eating out several nights a week. It all comes down to consciousness and commitment to your priorities, so listen in for some guidance for when you need to think fast about what you eat.
Today we take you through the ins and outs of virtual coaching, which can be highly rewarding for both coach and client with the evolution of technology. Still, there are points to consider when you can’t be in the same room as your client, from personal touches to watching movement to setting expectations for communication. In response to a listener question, we’ll give some pointers from our experience coaching clients one to one both online and in person, as well as delivering online group programs.
If one diet approach worked for everyone, we’d all be ripped to shreds. But as you probably know, it ain’t as easy as 1-2-3. That said, let’s say you’re searching for the perfect carb to protein and fat ratio for great performance and body composition, like today’s listener submission. Learn our recommendations for what to do first, how to pick good targets to track, and how long to stick with it before you change up your equation.
As health and fitness coaches, we try to walk next to our clients and help them uncover their own potential for growth, whether through their training or their life experiences outside the gym. Mental health affects us all - and today we share some approaches we take with our clients and each other to be empathetic listeners and better sources of support.
In this episode finale, we take a big picture look at the place of Functional Bodybuilding in fitness. See how changes to how we talk about training and changes to the approach we take with clients can deliver an effective focus on health and longevity, without endlessly scaling workouts that were never appropriate to begin with. And learn what lies ahead for coaches and thinking athletes who want to diver deeper into the Functional Bodybuilding approach.
Have you ever heard the misconception that if only you crank up the high intensity, you’ll get shredded and stay that way in a few short minutes per week? Unfortunately, High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) isn’t the magic answer. In order to better understand its role in training, we break down what HIIT really means, and the place of high bursts of intensity in intelligent program design.
Today’s listener question leads us to challenge some assumptions. When you’re trying to fit in work, friends, and family AND get a great night’s sleep and get more out of your gym sessions, it might be time to step back and see what your true values and priorities are. We’re often conditioned to feel guilty when what we really love conflicts with how we feel pressured to live. Tune in for a recommendation on clarifying your priorities, as well as tips to improve the quality of your fitness even if it doesn't come first.
Make no mistake, you’ve got to push to see results from your fitness. But this episode shows you what’s between 0 and 100 so you can take an intelligent approach to your conditioning. Consistency makes the difference in keeping you healthy and motivated to train for the long haul, so learn how to stay in the sweet spot with these approaches to pacing and structuring conditioning work.
What do you do when you value your fitness and a healthy lifestyle, but also want to travel and taste the far corners of the world? Today’s listener question gives us the opportunity to take a step back and appreciate how fitness and health can help us experience more in life, as well as provide some ways to honor your body while you enjoy yourself.
When you've lost that lovin' feeling for training, give this episode a listen for some insights into why it happens and how to get out of your funk. Often athletes get stuck in the picture of what training should look like even when it feels miserable, but the best approach is to walk away - literally. Use these pointers to empty your stress buckets and refuel your enthusiasm for getting back in the gym.
What’s the hardest feat you’ve ever accomplished? Physical tests such as competitions or difficult challenges are memorable not only because of the toll on your body, but because of the emotions they stir up. As Marcus shares in recounting some of his hardest tests as an athlete, being wracked with nerves, anxiety, and fear is extremely uncomfortable. In this final episode of Season Four, learn how you can accept these feelings as part of your journey, and use them to help you when you step out on the floor.
Want our list of secret recovery weapons? Number five will shock you! Just kidding - but you may be surprised that our favorite recovery methods do not involve foam rolling, bands, or mobility routines. When you’ve hit some hard training, you need to heal your brain, your soft tissues and ligaments, and even your gut from training stress. Learn what active recovery really means, and what to do outside the gym that will keep you ready to return for more.
Want our list of secret recovery weapons? Number five will shock you! Just kidding - but you may be surprised that our favorite recovery methods do not involve foam rolling, bands, or mobility routines. When you’ve hit some hard training, you need to heal your brain, your soft tissues and ligaments, and even your gut from training stress. Learn what active recovery really means, and what to do outside the gym that will keep you ready to return for more.
Clean bulk? Dirty bulk? Recomp? Today we take a question from a listener who just wants to lose those love handles, and we'll carve through the confusion on bulking and cutting. If you want to look good naked not just this year, but for decades or more, you can step off the diet merry-go-round for good with the tips on both training and nutrient intake in today’s episode.
Got aches and pains? Who doesn’t? Despite this extremely common side effect of training (and life in general), fixing bothersome pains isn’t so simple. Today we explore the ideal scenario of working with a pro to assess and prescribe training that helps your body heal and stay sound. And we’ll also give you some takeaways to try on your own - including one exercise that all niggling shoulders will love.
To keep the joy alive in your fitness, it’s worthwhile to include time to play and explore new movements and skills. But most of us are so busy we can barely hang on to our schedules of getting in a planned workout and making it to the next thing on the list for the day. If the days when you could head to the park and play around for hours are long gone, listen in for some ways to keep play and exploration alive in your busy schedule.
We all know that warming up is essential for a successful training session, but it’s tempting to skim through preparations to “save yourself” for the parts that excite you the most. When you bring intention and energy to your training prep, you can get more quality out of your session and improve your athleticism while still staying safe and injury-free. In today’s episode, we talk about maintaining quality throughout your entire training time, and how much is too much preparation.
Many of our individual design clients have this question that a listener also voices: what do you do when you crave the the motivation and fun that comes with the community aspect of a gym, while also staying true to your own body’s needs and your personal goals? Too much group fitness can make you feel crummy and contribute to nagging injuries and burnout, but we have social needs too. Balance both with suggestions from today’s episode.
Have you poked someone you love lately…into getting to the gym? Being passionate about health and fitness is terrific - until you turn into “that guy” (or girl) who oversteps when trying to encourage family members on their own fitness path. Today we talk about taking on this touchy topic in a way that shows the love we have for our friends and family, and also allows them to stay true to their own experience. This is also a skill with a ton of carryover into coaching clients, so listen in for some tips.
Simple equals strong! So what’s the role of bodyweight movements in a strength and conditioning program? Controlling your own body is an important benchmark before adding load with weights, and it can also stand on its own as an effective and challenging workout. Today’s episode gives some ideas on how to approach bodyweight movements in training, and we also answer a listener question about incorporating a weight vest into your program.
When it comes to nutrition, the numbers often tell a different story than our perception of how much or little we eat, and whether our approach is working. Today we dig into the gap between what we think we know and what’s actually happening on the plate, and the difference in counting calories and macros to learn your defaults vs. moving toward a specific goal.
Many athletes found Functional Bodybuilding after coming from the CrossFit world - because constantly varied training has its limits. What can you expect from Functional Bodybuilding that's different, and what's the same? We cover periodization, control points, and what those fancy moves on Instagram are all about.
If you come from a CrossFit background you're likely familiar with the Open. Drawing on Marcus's extensive competitive and coaching background, we'll cover how Functional Bodybuilding intersects with the Open, who should definitely sign up, and what happens when you attempt an Open workout on zero sleep - plus a bonus tip for anyone hitting the workouts. Good luck!
The kettlebell has evolved from fringe training tool to household fitness staple - so we're talking about how to get the most from your minimalist training. From pre-hab or rehabbing injuries, to strength work, to skill work and conditioning, kettlebells give you a ton of variety whether used by themselves or in combination with other equipment. Come learn how we approach kettlebell work with Functional Bodybuilding, how to get stronger using the same weight, and why complex skill work is so valuable in training.
Have you ever been in a training program with different tracks, and haven’t been sure which to choose - so you choose them all? Or have you hopped from one training style to another, and had trouble sticking to one thing? Today we’re talking about how shiny new things can keep your motivation high - but also might not get you where you want to go. There’s a difference between adapting within a thread of training that keeps everything connected, and taking an entirely new tack - listen in for our thoughts on how to get the most from multiple training options.
What do you do when you’ve been seduced by a training method or nutrition craze, only to find yourself questioning why your shoulders are still jacked up, or why you’re still putting on unwanted weight? For true longevity and sustainability in any method, there will come a point when you need to adapt day to day for your own unique needs. Today we’re talking about uncovering bias, asking deeper questions, and becoming an active participant in the design of your own plan.
Following up from our last episode, today we talk through the business decisions we made over time in transitioning from a 12-week online fitness program into an ongoing group subscription model, as well as the differences in coaching individuals vs. larger groups. If you're trying to grow your business online, we cover customer research, pivoting in the pandemic, and the fears and doubts that come with the territory of entrepreneurship.
If you're curious about how Revival Strength and Functional Bodybuilding got started, we're sharing the story of how our business partnership began along with a few practical takeaways. How did Marcus go from former affiliate owner to coaching a few remote clients to a starting a booming online business? If you're trying to establish more of an online presence, work with a dream client, or pivot your fitness business online, we hope this conversation will help.
The feeling of getting stronger and fitter is what motivates many people to keep coming back to the gym. But we all know there's a limit to how much we can lift. Aside from adding more weight to the bar week by week, there are many ways Functional Bodybuilding can still help you chase a feeling of progress. Listen in for some other ways to think about progressive overload, and how to stay connected to your training past the point of PRs.
Coming face to face with a tough workout or competition brings up anxiety and fear for everyone. So what can you actually do to make it better? Today we're talking about the moment Marcus wanted to quit, as well as the smaller tips and tricks we use to get us through blah days or intimidating moments at the gym.
We're wrapping up the season by responding to some of your most frequent questions on training and nutrition - with some unexpected answers. Learn why bicep curls won't always grow your biceps and what does work for growing muscle mass fast. Trying to burn more calories to lose weight? Hear why you should consider eating way more. And we'll finally answer the most commonly asked question: "Hey Marcus, what are your macros?" Listen in and submit your burning questions!
Athletes with backgrounds in seasonal sports know how training adjusts throughout the year depending on when peak performance is needed. But where does periodization fit in for the general population? Even if your only goal is to get a sweat on, periodizing can help your consistency by seeing and feeling progress on strength, skill, and mental capacity week by week. We'll break down how periodizing can help you stay motivated all year long, and how we do it with Functional Bodybuilding
How to get a lot when you only have a little? That's the ultimate question when it comes to training in the era of pandemic-related gym shutdowns. Keep growing, evolving, and getting better with these Functional Bodybuilding guiding principles - and yes, you can still get muscular and lean even with zero equipment. We'll show you how!
The majority of people will get terrific results simply by hitting the same caloric or macronutrient targets consistently. But for those who have it down and want the extra edge, eating different amounts of calories or macro amounts on different days of the week can tap into some added benefits. We'll break down how cycling works and why you might want to try it, and how to know you're ready to take your nutrition to the next level.
When you hit mental and emotional walls that steer you away from your training and nutrition plans, how do you get back on track? Whether it's an anxious moment around indulgent food or a belief that holds you back from making progress, we'll cover a few common situations and how to become self-observant in order to break free.
When it comes to changing body composition, most people focus only on training and nutrition. But NEAT (Non Exercise Activity Thermogenesis) is a key component in how much energy you burn during the day, and can also help you keep moving without overloading your body with training stress. Learn how NEAT works and how to get more, especially during the winter months.
Mashing strength and conditioning together doesn’t always work - so how can you accomplish both effectively, without losing your gains or your endurance? Today we cover the Aerobic Bodybuilding training style, and why it’s effective for so many - especially first responders and people who are short on time.
It's all new-season, a new episode, and a new voice on the podcast. My business partner and marketing director, Satya Khan, and I are talking about how to avoid turns in your training that can lead you to burnout, injury, and sitting sadly on your couch. There are always lessons in making mistakes, but I'll give you my top tips to keep your radar on for trouble ahead - plus a movement quality challenge to put these ideas to use.
Picking up from Part One of this special episode, we return to our conversation with John Berardi on exploring the limits of what you know so it no longer limits your progress. In addition to expanding your network, learning intentionally can propel your career and help you make an impact to be proud of. Tilt the balance from consumer to creator with this Change Maker’s advice for anyone who wants to do meaningful work in the world.
John Berardi, Co-Founder of Precision Nutrition and author of Change Makers, joins us on this two-part special episode. Whether you seek to improve your career, your training, or specifically your profession as a health and fitness coach, John shares his insights on how to get there by assessing your unique gifts as well as your limiting factors, and knowing how to bridge the gap.
Krista Scott Dixon, PhD., of Precision Nutrition joins us in this two part special episode to share the most effective ways to learn how to eat for your needs. Coming from an academic background, she balances her approach between evidence gathering and lived experience, channeling her knowledge into PN’s groundbreaking nutrition coaching curriculum. In Part One we discuss how important it is to increase awareness of how your own body works, as well as widening the scope of how women’s experiences in health and fitness are framed.
Looking back at Awaken Training Series, we’re covering the key themes of Functional Bodybuilding as they’ve evolved over time. If you or your clients are still looking for ways to improve movement quality and progress with purpose, dive into the details of what makes FBB-style workouts so effective at getting stronger, faster, and better without burnout.
Marcus Filly sits down with Dr. Teddy Willsey (@strengthcoachtherapy), to talk about staying in the training game for the long haul. How do you avoid injuries and be able to keep up big lifting numbers for years and years? We talk about the minimal effective training dose and how to determine what that is for you, and why simply doing rounds for time skips over a key part of physiological development. You'll also see where our two training approaches of Functional Bodybuilding and powerlifting with a physical therapy twist overlap.
