Smart Strength Training Podcast

Andy Vincent
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  • FITNESS
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The world of fitness can seem confusing. There are so many opinions and so much conflicting information. How do you know what's right for you? Welcome to the Smart Strength Training Podcast. A series that tries to cut through the noise to give you a no B/S approach to training, nutrition, mindset and practical tips to help you on your way to staying consistent and seeing results.

  1. FEB 4

    What You Need To Know About Cycle Syncing

    Summary: In this episode of the Smart Strength Training podcast, I take a deep dive into cycle syncing, the idea that women should pre plan their training intensity around different phases of the menstrual cycle. While the concept has been heavily popularised across the fitness industry, media outlets, and social platforms, and it sounds appealing on the surface. There are some assumptions made for it to work that don't hold true in real life or to the research. I explain the hormonal rationale often used to justify cycle syncing and highlight the practical challenges of applying it in the real world, including cycle variability, symptom unpredictability, and the added complexity it places on already busy lives. Chapters : 00:15 – What cycle syncing is and why it has become so popular in women’s training 02:40 – Clarifying what cycle syncing actually means versus day to day training adjustments based on symptoms 03:46 – The hormonal argument behind cycle syncing and why it sounds convincing on paper 06:03 – Practical limitations of cycle syncing, cycle variability, tracking, and real-life constraints 07:22 – What the research actually shows on strength, muscle protein synthesis, and performance across the cycle 11:51 – Why autoregulation beats cycle syncing and how to adjust training without sacrificing consistency For information about how you can work with me online, check out my website: andyvincentpt.com

    15 min

  2. JAN 21

    Just Because It Worked for Them…Why Anecdotes Are a Poor Guide for Health and Fitness Decisions

    In this episode, I explore why anecdotes are often a poor guide for making sound health and fitness decisions, particularly in the age of social media. I unpack how simple A equals B stories are often used to sell beliefs, products, or ideologies, despite human physiology being complex and influenced by countless variables. I explain why anecdotes cannot establish causation, highlighting common cognitive traps such as confirmation bias, post hoc fallacies, authority bias, and single variable storytelling. As well as talking about topics such as regression to the mean, placebo effects, and survivorship bias, all of which can make personal experiences seem more meaningful than they really are. Chapters: 00:00 - Why misinformation is getting worse on social media and why anecdotes are so persuasive. 01:30 – Common fitness anecdotes and false causal links. Examples from fat loss, stretching, and lifting straps, and why personal stories do not prove anything. 03:45 – Why anecdotes cannot prove causation. Different life phases, uncontrolled variables, and the illusion of simple A equals B explanations. 05:40 – Confirmation bias and post hoc fallacies. Why familiar beliefs feel true and how timing creates misleading conclusions. 07:30 – Authority bias and popularity over evidence. How physiques, follower counts, and confidence often outweigh data on social media. 09:45 – Regression to the mean, placebo, and injury stories. Why pain, performance, and symptoms often improve regardless of the intervention. 11:45 – Survivorship bias and changing beliefs over time. Why we only hear success stories and how professional views evolve with experience. 13:55 – Where anecdotes fit in the hierarchy of evidence. How to interpret personal experience alongside research and what honest evidence-based language sounds like. If you need help cutting through the noise of misinformation on social media, check out my online personal training packages at: andyvincentpt.com

    16 min

  3. JAN 7

    Should You Start Lifting Heavy? Or Is It Too Dangerous?

    Summary: Should you start lifting heavy, or is it too dangerous? In this episode, I unpack a viral claim from strength and conditioning educator Mike Boyle that adults should avoid low rep training because the risk is not worth the reward. It matters because this message will ripple into what coaches teach, and it directly conflicts with popular advice, especially in the female training space, where women are often encouraged to lift very heavy for strength, hypertrophy, and bone health. I look at what injury data can tell us by comparing injury rates across strength sports and other activities, using the standard metric of injuries per 1,000 hours of participation. The bigger topic about load management, fatigue, technique, and sudden spikes in training rather than a simple heavy versus light argument. I also explain when heavier training can make sense, when it is not appropriate, and why there is no magic threshold where 4 reps is somehow dangerous but 5 reps is safe. Chapters: 00:06 - Intro, episode context, and the question 01:10 - The Mike Boyle post and why it matters 02:20 - The female training space and the push for very low reps 03:40 - What injury data can and cannot tell us 04:45 - Injury rates in bodybuilding, powerlifting, and Olympic lifting 06:10 - Comparing injury rates to running, tennis, football, rugby 09:35 - The real causes of injury, load management and fatigue 12:10 - When heavier training makes sense, and when it does not 14:30 - Proximity to failure, fatigue, and why heavier work can be practical 16:55 - Wrap up, key message, and what to focus on next If you want help building a training plan that progresses sensibly without fear based decision making, head to my website for coaching options and to learn how I structure long term strength training: andyvincentpt.com

    19 min

  4. 12/24/2025

    Training Into Your 40s, 50s & Beyond. What Actually Matters

    In the final episode of Smart Strength Training for 2025, I break down what really matters when training into your 40s, 50s and beyond. This episode cuts through common social media narratives around ageing, injury fear, declining bodies and “special” workouts for older adults. Instead, I explain why most challenges with training later in life are not about broken metabolisms, bad joints or hormones in isolation, but about lifestyle load, recovery capacity and poor training decisions. You will learn how to manage injuries properly, why gradual progression matters more than perfect technique, how little training you actually need to maintain or build strength, why constant dieting backfires, and how to reduce friction so training stays consistent year-round. A practical, realistic episode to listen to over Christmas and heading into the new year. Chapters: 05:20 – Injuries, load management and why exercise is not the problem. 11:45 – Tissue tolerance. Why is it more slowly than muscles? 17:55 – The minimum effective dose. How little training you actually need. 25:00 – Dieting, low energy availability and why fat loss gets harder. 30:00 – Motivation, reducing friction and staying consistent long term. If you need help creating a structured program for 2026, I'm available for Online Personal Training. Check out the details: andyvincentpt.com

    29 min

  5. 12/10/2025

    Are Protein Bars As Bad As Joe Wicks Made Out?

    In this episode, I break down the controversy surrounding protein bars following a recent UK TV programme that claimed they are harmful. I cover why people use protein bars, the evidence behind key ingredients such as sweeteners, sugar alcohols, and gums, and how ultra-processed foods fit into the bigger dietary picture. I explain how context, individual response, and overall diet quality matter more than single ingredients or individual foods. Chapters: 02:30 – 04:20 - Why people actually use protein bars and why the comparison should be with real alternatives, not idealised whole food meals. 04:20 – 06:00 - Where protein bars sit in the protein hierarchy and why they’re a situational tool rather than a daily staple. 06:00 – 07:40 - Ultra processed foods explained, including what Kevin Hall’s research really shows about appetite and intake. 07:40 – 10:00 - Sweeteners overview: safety, appetite effects, individuality. 10:00 – 12:20 - Sugar alcohols: why they’re used and why some people experience GI symptoms. 12:20 – 14:10 - Gums and fillers: what they do and why tolerance varies between people. 14:10 – 16:20 - How to assess if a protein bar is a good choice for you. 16:20 – 18:20 - Protein targets and why many people overshoot, leading to unnecessary reliance on bars.

    20 min

  6. 11/26/2025

    Making The Most Out Of Your Cardio Training [Part 2]

    Summary: In this episode, I move from theory to practice and show listeners exactly how to apply the three energy systems to their cardio programming. I break down how to set up effective zone 2 work, different types of glycolytic training (tempo, lactate clearance and glycolytic capacity), and what true high intensity and sprint intervals should look like. I also clear up confusion around VO₂ max, explain why strength training does not “count” as cardio, and finish with practical templates for spreading different intensities across the week to build a robust aerobic base and better metabolic flexibility. Chapters: 00:00 – Intro and recap of energy systems - Framing this as the “how to” follow up to the last episode and revisiting the three energy systems and time frames. 02:24 – How to do zone 2 properly - Heart rate and RPE targets, talk test, choosing modalities, watch accuracy, boredom, and long term progression. 07:01 – Glycolytic training overview - Defining lactate clearance, threshold and glycolytic capacity, plus intensities, work to rest ratios and intentions for each. 09:22 – Tempo and lactate clearance in practice - Longer tempo intervals vs harder clearance intervals, managing discomfort and staying just under the point you cannot clear lactate. 11:48 – Phosphocreatine system, HIIT and sprint intervals - True high intensity versus sprint intervals, work and rest ratios, matching outputs and why most people get this wrong. 15:57 – VO₂ max explained - Clarifying what VO₂ max really is, why it is not a zone and how different types of training contribute to improving it. 17:59 – Weekly programming examples - Applying the 80–20 idea, turning walks into zone 2, and how to rotate glycolytic work and high intensity intervals. 19:34 – Strength training, cardio and metabolic flexibility - Where lifting sits energetically, why it does not replace cardio and how spreading stress across all three systems builds a robust engine. For help integrating proper cardio training into your workouts and structuring your strength training and nutrition to start to see the results you want, check out my online Personal Training options at - andyvincentpt.com

    19 min

  7. 11/12/2025

    Making The Most of Your Cardiovascular Training [PART 1/2]

    In this episode, I talk about how to make your cardiovascular training more effective by understanding energy systems rather than just thinking of cardio as “calorie burning.” I break down how your body uses different fuels, fats, carbohydrates, and phosphocreatine, at different intensities, why zone 2 training is so valuable, and how to balance low, moderate, and high-intensity work across your week. By the end, you’ll know how to train smarter for improved aerobic capacity, better recovery, and greater overall fitness efficiency. 02:30 – Energy systems explained and why “metabolic flexibility” matters 04:50 – The phosphagen system and the role of creatine 06:50 – The glycolytic system, lactate myths, and what really causes the burn 09:40 – Zone 2 and the oxidative system: why easy training builds your base 12:00 – Heart rate vs. perceived effort in interval training 14:00 – How to improve mitochondrial function and energy efficiency 18:50 – Practical takeaways: structuring your weekly cardio for best results If you want a personalised plan that balances strength and cardio for your goals, click the link in the show notes to apply for coaching: andyvincentpt.com

    19 min

  8. 10/29/2025

    How and Why Your Metabolism Adapts (and Should You Worry About It?)

    In this episode, I break down the truth about metabolism and metabolic adaptation, one of the most misunderstood topics in fitness. I explains what metabolism actually is, why it changes in response to diet and training, and why these adaptations are not something to fear but rather a smart, protective mechanism of the human body. Andy also explores the difference between the traditional additive model of energy expenditure and the constrained energy model, explaining how your body self-regulates energy use and why doing “more” exercise doesn’t always mean burning “more” calories. Drawing on the latest research from Herman Pontzer and others, Andy shows that your metabolism is flexible, not broken, and that understanding this helps you make smarter decisions about training, dieting, and recovery. Summary: 01:00 – What metabolism actually is02:30 – Why metabolism adapts04:50 – The constrained energy model06:50 – How the body compensates09:20 – Why more cardio stops working11:40 – Individual differences and limitations13:50 – Practical applications15:00 – Final takeaways If you want help getting the right balance with training, keeping active, and dieting for fat loss, consider seeking guidance. Check my online personal training at: www.andyvincentpt.com

    17 min
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The world of fitness can seem confusing. There are so many opinions and so much conflicting information. How do you know what's right for you? Welcome to the Smart Strength Training Podcast. A series that tries to cut through the noise to give you a no B/S approach to training, nutrition, mindset and practical tips to help you on your way to staying consistent and seeing results.

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