Health Oddity Podcast

We are joined for the 3rd time from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA by Brett Jones. Author of Iron Cardio, Strongfirst Elite Instructor, Functional Movement Systems Advisory Board Member & online coach with Kettlebell Transformation. We cover much ground including how to reframe failure for success. How to develop a sustainable & realistic lifelong strength practise & the concept of buffers & how they can be applied to movement, strength & health. There's also some old movie chat as well - as is obligatory with Brett!

Pete & James catch up on recent events including Walking Solves being awarded 'Community Group of the Year' by Radio Bath & James assisting at the Strongfirst School of Strength weekend at Lilleshall. Current training programmes & goals are also discussed as Pete's 50th Birthday approaches.

As we move into Autumn & Winter there is often a natural compulsion to move less, stay inside more & to keep ourselves cosy & comfortable until the warmer weather returns. Peter & James discuss the importance of maintaining healthy habits year round ESPECIALLY through the darker months. Topics covered include sleep, Vitamin D, nutrition, mood & motivation & also natural immunity.

We are joined for the third time by Dr Nancy Allen. An NHS GP of over 25 years to discuss all things ADHD; from misconceptions & stigma to diagnosis & treatment. We cover dopamine, sleep, exercise, emotional regulation, impulsivity, motivation & long term health. A fascinating conversation about a topic that is on the rise in the media & public consciousness.

We are joined by Alex Smith (our first ever guest from Hull) a British Army & RAF veteran who has had quite a life - possibly the biggest understatement I've ever written. 1 3 years ago Alex narrowly avoided death & had a heart transplant at Royal Papworth Hospital, he recently took part in the British Transplant Games in Sheffield. This is a conversation you won't want to miss that has plenty of twists & turns in what has so far been a truly remarkable life.

We are joined for the second time by rising star of the British Strongman scene & Worlds Strongest Man competitor Ben Glasscock. 1 5 months after our last interview we discuss Ben's breakout year, his first experience at WSM, winning events at the recent Giants Live Strongman Open, running Hampshires Strongest comp with 180 competitors & starring in the new YouTube show Giant Problems alongside Paddy Haynes & Gavin Bilton!

The gym has been the go to place for getting fit for decades. But with more options, better equipment available at home, changing lifestyles & the growth of A.I do we still need gyms to be healthy, strong & fit? Peter & James have a fascinating discussion with returning guest & Fitness Industry Expert of 35 years, Keith Smith to find the answer.

What if some of the health advice you've followed for decades has been completely wrong? That's the question that Peter & James tackle in this week's episode. Common phrases, sentiments & advice that we've all heard for years, but where did they come from & how much truth do they actually hold? A lively discussion that may challenge some of your long held beliefs around fitness, health & training.

Peter & James return from their summer breaks & reconvene to discuss recent episodes & news as well as some life lessons & habits that may be beneficial to bring back from holiday & implement into your everyday life.

We are joined for the 3rd time by current England's Strongest Man & recent runner up in the Strongman Classic - The Dark Horse: Paddy Haynes. We manage to squeeze in a catch up with Paddy during an incredibly busy time for him between competitions & with his own profile & online content continuing to grow at a rapid rate. Paddy discusses goals for the rest of the year, an upcoming trip to Iceland & the fact that he's already booked his qualification place at the Worlds Strongest Man 2027!

We are joined for the first time by Pete Cohen, Performance Coach, Author, TV Presenter & film maker who has undergone a life changing journey over the last few years since the passing of his wife Hannah after a long & courageous battle with brain tumours. Pete documented the whole of his journey with Hannah including all of the highs & the lows of treatment, recovery & returning illness in a documentary called 'Hannah's Story' which has to date, won 11 different film festivals & is an unflinching & honest sharing of love, loss & the human spirit. This episode will encourage you to stop & think about your own life, maybe from a fresh perspective.

We are joined for the first time by 2025 UK Strongest Man - Andrew 'Flying Flynn' Flynn, a husband & father who's 'hobby' has taken him twice to the Worlds Strongest Man comp in USA & who trains & competes alongside a full time career & family commitments. Andrew also trains predominantly in a shed in his garden so he can fit training around school runs, work & household chores. Andrew is down to earth, humble, unassuming & impossible not to like. Be inspired.

In this host catch up episode Pete & James discuss the upcoming Strongman Classic at the Royal Albert Hall, James' recent Strongman Competition in Colchester, Pete reaching new levels of strength with the Kettlebell Press & also some of the lessons he's learned from Walking 750km in just 7.5 weeks (much of it in a heatwave).

We are joined from Long Island, New York by Jason Nelson, originally from Trinidad (our first Caribbean guest) to discuss fat loss after 40 & helping people build strong energetic lives. Jay is the owner of Body Image Fitness, a personal training gym & clinical consultancy practice which has licensed medical staff in-house who can prescribe & oversee GLP-1 treatment for weight loss alongside a structured & monitored fitness & strength programme to maximise long term results, adherence & safety. We talk about the before, during & after programme considerations for people using GLP-1 treatments & how to best manage coming off of the shots once weight loss has been achieved. A timely & relevant conversation with an expert in the field.

We are joined for the second time from Buckinghamshire, England by Hannah Camden. Hannah is the owner of Fitworks Training, KBX & the founder of Find Your Fit - a 24hr charity fitness event that she is on a mission to grow globally with a huge 2027 event already planned. We discuss some of Hannah's recent Kettlebell Sport World Records, her passion for getting young girls interested in fitness & strength, recovering from serious injuries & the importance of mobility & recovery as we age.

We are joined for the second time by Dr Paul Bedford AKA The Retention Guru - a man who travels the globe helping gym & health club chains sign up new members (and more importantly keep them). Paul is an expert in behaviour, habits, customer experience, culture & the reality of the fitness industry behind the mirrors, polished chrome & 'Love Island / Gym Shark' physiques used in marketing. What does fitness REALLY look like for 90% of the population & how does a normal person manage expectations & results to actually enhance their quality of life?

We are joined from Victoria, Vancouver Island, Canada by Thomas Attig, an applied Philosopher, Professor & revolutionary voice in grief studies. We discuss something never before explored on the podcast but something that every single listener will have undoubtedly experienced before & will do again - the death of a friend or loved one & the feelings, thoughts & emotions that follow it. What is grief? Why do we experience it & how can it be managed or understood? This is a universal discussion with a man who has spent almost his entire life studying a subject many of us try to ignore.

We are joined by Carl Easton, recently turned 60 & a lifelong runner. Carl has moved into the world of Hybrid Racing over the last few years & has massively increased his strength & diversified his already strong cardiovascular base. Carl now regularly competes in HYROX, Nuclear Races & Deadly Dozen (as well as travelling all over the world to do it). At 60 Carl has developed his physique & strength to meet the demands of this new challenge & demonstrates that it's never too late to redefine your fitness goals (or muscles!).

In this host catch up episode Peter & James discuss what they've taken from recent episodes including the idea of building self belief through action & finding clarity through action as well. James shares what he learned recently at a Fitness Business Summit around standards, culture & structure when developing a business & a team & how we can apply the same thinking to us as individuals.

We are joined for the first time by Strongfirst Elite instructor Ben Bradbury from Surrey UK. Christian, Coach, Student of Strength & recent lifter of the iconic & historic Dinnie Stones in Potarch, Scotland. Ben is also a BJJ Black Belt & the owner of Complete Fitness. This is a wide ranging & fascinating conversion with a humble, polite & thoughtful strength professional which may increase your own belief in what is possible for you!

Peter & James catch up about recent events & conversations surrounding Health Oddity including breaking news about Britain's Disabled Strongman 2026, the importance of purpose, structure & routine & common objections to sensible health advice.

We are joined for the 12th time by 'friend of the show', global strength training icon & bestselling author Dan John all the way from Utah USA. We discuss Beowulf, The Odyssey, the return of Ted Lasso & training the youth athlete. We learn how Dan is seemingly de-ageing himself as he approaches 70 & how his training focus has evolved over the years. This is a warm & insightful catch up with a man who has been with us since the genesis of Health Oddity & continues to be an inspiration & friend.

We are joined by Dr. Kyle Hulsebus, a Health & Human Potential Specialist, author & third-generation chiropractor based in Northern Illinois. Kyle's work redefines health as an internal state & integrates purpose, performance & well-being for longevity & impact. We discuss travel, philosophy, ball room dancing & why purpose may be the missing health metric. An interesting & inspiring conversation with a fascinating man on a mission to spread true health far & wide.

We are joined by James Crozier from J.C Performance Coaching, a competitive Strongman & Powerlifter with 25 years of coaching experience in the world of strength sports. This is an honest & wide reaching discussion around training strength for the long haul, the importance of structure, consistency & sustainability, mental health & James' coaching philosophy informed through his vast personal experience & history of working with athletes & general population clients.

In this episode we discuss the subject of motivation & how much of a part it actually plays in success. Is motivation actually a myth? & if not, what is it & how does it factor? We discuss the importance of discipline, habit, routine, environment & community. Where does willpower fit in? & how you can "make healthy the default"

We are joined for the third time by friend of the show & force of nature Stevie Shanks from Belfast, Northern Ireland. In this episode Stevie talks about his recent heart attack & subsequent triple heart bypass (including a specially reinforced rib cage for stone lifting!) his return to drumming & using that as an unconventional rehabilitation method. We also discuss the upcoming 10th Anniversary of The Donald Dinnie Day - The Gathering & Stevie's plans for returning to strength training himself - perhaps with a slightly different focus.

In this episode we discuss the various ways you can progress your training by manipulating a number of training variables, namely - frequency, volume, intensity & density. Firstly we define each term as it relates to training, give some real world examples of how they fit within a training programme then finally, we discuss the order & manner which they should be progressed from a beginners into intermediate standpoint. A practical discussion that should be of use to many - and could spark a few disagreements or debates!

In this host catch up episode following 4 weeks of guests we discuss the recent Strongfirst Resilient course held at Unique Results, Peter's recent development of Walking Solves - Daily Meditations & the routine James adopted on a recent family holiday & how we can take elements of it even when busier life resumes.

We are joined from just outside NYC, USA by Chris Ryan from the Chris Ryan Fitness app to discuss all things Strength, Longevity & health & fitness for busy people with families & careers. Chris is a bundle of controlled energy & positivity. We learn about his athletic career as a Division 1 track athlete (800m), his time on NBCs STRONG as one of America's Top 10 trainers, his life now as a 45 year old husband & dad to 3 children & how he developed, launched & continues to build his fitness app which serves users all around the world. This is an inspiring, energetic & very actionable conversation with a guest that I'm sure we'll be speaking with again.

In this episode we are joined by all the way from Los Angeles, California by Axay Shah. An avid marathon runner, a passionate poet, and a lover of music. Axay enjoys life to the fullest, & is a very happy person (as you will hear). His secret? He has followed a raw food vegetarian diet for over 16 years & it has transformed his life. At 66 years of age, Axay believes that eating uncooked, plant-based foods has been the cornerstone of his health & vitality. janHe believes that the raw food lifestyle has unlocked the true potential of his body & mind. We encourage you to listen (or watch) with an open mind & heart & enjoy getting to know Axay, he's a warm & interesting man who has found his own path to health & wellness.

We are joined for the third time by one of our most referenced guests - Steve Bush. Steve has just passed his 6th year since having gastric surgery to change his life & has also just turned 60 years old. Steve updates us on the physical challenges he has set himself for 2026, his experience running the Disney Marathon (and riding a rollercoaster on the way round). Steve also explains how he has developed his own method of training for running events by limiting his running (and saving his knees) & how his life has changed so he now has the confidence to say YES to just about anything after a lifetime of saying NO. Be inspired & enjoy.

We are joined for the first time (hopefully not the last) by Professor Jonathan Sackier - Surgeon, Innovator, Aviator, Health Commentator, Author & cohost of the highly entertaining 'Join the Docs' podcast. This fascinating conversation is as much about life as it is health. We get to know Jonathan's background, medical career, longevity outlook & how, after an incredibly challenging life experience he was encouraged to create his own, very personal 'Rules for Life'. We're sure you'll enjoy listening to this hour with him as much as we enjoyed meeting him ourselves.

Following a listener suggestion Peter & James walk you through how to build a low cost strength training programme at home including which equipment to buy (for £200-£300 total) - what you can buy second hand & what not to. How to structure your programme, which movements & exercises to choose & some ideas of progressions as well. There will be a follow up episode to this where we will outline more principles for strength progression that can be applied universally.

We are joined from Newcastle UK by proud 'Geordie' & Natural Bodybuilding Champion Phil Earley. Phil turns 60 this year & has set himself the modest goal of competing at the Natural Olympia contest this November in Las Vegas USA. We discuss Phil's introduction to strength training back when he was a teenager. His love of Kettlebells. His journey on Paul Mcllroy's Amazing 12 transformation programme & how after nearly 40 years of training he took the plunge & entered his first Bodybuilding show! The rest - as they say, is history.

In this host catch up episode Peter & James discuss 3 main topics: The recent Britains Strongest Man in Sheffield that Pete attended live (& James watched from France). Lessons from the mountains on the recent Unique Results skiing & snowboarding holiday. How to calculate your daily protein requirements based on bodyweight & activity levels AND how to hit them consistently.

We are joined for the fourth time by James Breese from Strength Matters & Cricket Matters & discuss his upcoming Cricket injury & performance clinic in Cardiff, Wales. We also hear about James' recent time spent with Gray Cook in the USA & the development of 'The Performance Flywheel' model which covers the 6 components of athlete performance in any skill based sport or training programme.

We are joined by Duncan Moore, founder of 'Let's Get Out' Community Interest Company. His mission is to get more young people outside experiencing the many benefits of spending time in nature. We discuss forestry schools, bushcraft, survival skills & the Duke of Edinburgh Awards as well as some of the established & recognised benefits of being in nature & also some of the interpersonal skills & leadership traits young people can develop when taken outside away from technology & connecting with nature, & each other.

In this host catch up episode Peter & James discuss a simple habit stacking nutrition challenge, James begins to run AGAIN & shares his experience & they discuss a recent short video that went viral & the ways that human beings react to online content & people as they age.

We are joined from Los Angeles USA for a very unique & important episode with a man who has overcome life altering adversity & is now on a mission to help others do the same. William Person was a 10 year veteran of the Team USA Bobsled team & has subsequently developed CTE (Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy) a brain injury condition experienced by collision sports athletes, military veterans & civilians who experience head trauma. This is a fascinating conversation that is wide reaching & impactful & William's mission could have wider implications for many of societies current ills.

Midway through January & following a run of 8 weeks of fantastic guests Pete & James cut through the distraction & clutter of new year, new you media hyperbole & discuss the 5 big rocks that will ACTUALLY help you move the needle & make progress throughout 2026.

We are rejoined by Mark Tonner (previously a guest on episodes 272 & 174) to Review the recent 'Lift for Life' Charity Deadlift Challenge & discuss some big plans for 2026. 2025 was the most successful event to date breaking records in terms of kg lifted, number of participants AND money raised for Suicide Prevention through Andy's Man Club & if you've listened to previous episodes with Mark you'll know he has some more dastardly ideas up his sleeve!

We last spoke to Paddy Haynes back in February 2025 (Episode 237) when he was very much 'The Dark Horse' of UK & International Strongman having narrowly missed out on a podium place at Britain's Strongest Man. Since then, it's fair to say he's had a pretty special year. In this catch up episode with Paddy we go through his biggest achievements of the year in terms of contest finishes & records broken & look ahead to 2026 - could the 'Dark Horse' be renamed - 'The Stallion'!?

In our first podcast of 2026 we are joined all the way from Southern Maryland, USA by the very aptly named Levi Strong. Levi is a 6ft 8, 375lb giant of a man who recently WON the Magnus Classic out in Iceland in November beating a world class line-up. We discuss Levi's hard working blue collar background, working in ice storms & extreme conditions, his experience in Iceland, his training & aspirations for the future. This is a relaxed & informative conversation with an intelligent, humble & polite athlete who hopefully we will all be seeing much more of over the coming months & years.

In the second of our two Christmas Specials we are joined from Scotland by Chris Beetham - 2024 Scotlands Strongest Man & 2025 UK Strongest Man runner up (by 1.5 points!) Chris is a full time Structural Engineer, father of two, owner of Dodge City Strength Gym, youth Rugby coach, coach to 35 strength athletes AND a Pro Strongman himself! We learn about Chris' rugby background, how he fell in love with Strength Training & his life as a competitive Powerlifter then Strongman & how he 'engaged feast mode' to transform himself from a naturally slim guy into the man he is today - top tip - double dinners!

In the first of two Christmas Specials we are joined from Belfast, Northern Ireland by Emma Brennan. Owner of Iron Wolf Gym, Iron Wolf Gymwear, Qualified Personal Trainer, Strength & Conditioning Coach, Sports Therapist, competitive Powerlifter & mother of two. This is a wide ranging conversation covering Emma's unconventional route into the fitness industry, her experience in the education & training sector, the current state of the industry, juggling life as a wife & mother with running a business AND competing in Strength Sports. Emma also talks openly about dealing with her own health & fitness challenges over the years & how her personal experiences inform her approach when working with clients.

We are joined for the 3rd time by our good friend from Prague - Pavel Macek. Pavel is a Strongfirst Master Certified Instructor who lists his areas of interest & expertise as; Strength, Combatives, Stoicism, Tea, Cats (and the TV series LOST). He is a calm, wise & fascinating man & in this conversation we focus on RESILIENCE, both mental & physical, meditation, his upcoming visit to the UK (next March) & the online release of his 'Enter the Dumbbell' course. I'm sure this will not be the last time we are joined by Pavel as every time we sit down & talk we learn, laugh & come away with an expanded reading list.

We are joined by Caroline Southgate, founder of Doris Jones Ltd for a timely & incredibly important conversation about ageing, longevity, the gap between health-span & life-span & staying well in later life. Ageing affects us all both directly (as ourselves) & indirectly (when caring for older friends & family) & as a society as well. Caroline's business Doris Jones provides physio-led home care, helping older people stay independent where they are happiest - at home. This is a relaxed & broad conversation discussing ageing from a perspective we haven't explored before.

We are joined by Shane Nugent MSc to discuss all things nutrition & lifestyle management. Shane shares his nutrition principles which broadly apply to everyone & then discusses how these principles can be added to when specific variation is required due to athletic goals or personal preference. Shane is pragmatic, sensible & clear in his approach & believes getting nutrition 'right' for the individual requires a combination of education, accountability, support, community & empathy. This is not your standard conversation around nutrition, calories & macros - it is a call for us all to take our food choices more seriously but delivered with care & realistic, practical advice.

Following 4 weeks of guests on the podcast Pete & James take the time to catch up & discuss what they've taken from recent episodes & what's going on in their own training & businesses. Topics up for discussion include the upcoming Lift for Life Charity competition, the recent Dawn of the Deadlift challenge at Unique Results & how to manage overwhelm when embarking on a new fitness/lifestyle programme or trying to make positive changes in your life.

We are joined by Mark Tonner for the 2nd time. Mark's last episode with us was 174 (Boxing Day 2023) & we were talking about his upcoming 24hr Deadlift Challenge for Suicide prevention. This year will be the 4th time Mark has organised the 'Lift for Life' Challenge & this year it's bigger & better than ever & raising money for Andy's Man Club in the UK & Suicide Prevention charities in the other countries taking part. There are 3 options to get involved in this event on 27th December - as an individual lifter, as part of a team of 5 or as a larger gym community. Mark explains all in this inspiring & emotionally raw conversation.