The Peak Performance Podcast by Brad Young

Brad Young
  • 5.0 (2)
  • Fitness
  • Updated Semiweekly

Welcome to the Peak Performance Podcast—your guide to unlocking your potential and thriving in every area of life. Hosted by Brad Young, Ph.D., bestselling author and trusted voice in health, fitness, and personal growth, this show delivers practical, evidence-based strategies to help you become your best self. Ranked in the top 10% of podcasts globally—and previously in the top 10 health and fitness podcasts—this show continues to grow, evolve, and raise the bar. Brad goes beyond theory, breaking down the training, mindset, and nutrition of elite athletes and high performers, then testing these strategies in real life. From running and fitness to mental resilience and modern health technology, he shares what actually works so you can apply it immediately. Each episode is packed with actionable tools to improve your mental, physical, and emotional well-being—whether you're optimizing performance, building better habits, or overcoming challenges. This isn’t just information—it’s transformation. Subscribe and start your journey to peak performance today. Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any medical conditions.

  1. 1d ago

    Episode 128: Simplified Peak Performance in an Era of Complexity

    The world has never offered more tools, more data, more protocols, more supplements, more coaches, more content about performance. And yet, the people who are genuinely operating at the top — the ones who sustain it, who build legacies, who don't burn out — they almost universally share one trait. They have simplified everything down to its essence. They have cut away the noise and committed deeply to a very small number of things that actually matter. That's what today is about. Simplicity as a competitive advantage. Not laziness — ruthless, intentional, disciplined simplicity. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  2. 6d ago

    Episode 127: Apache Breathwork and How It Will Change Your Running Forever

    This episode is going to change the way you run. I am not being dramatic. I am telling you what happened to me and what happens to every single person I have coached through this protocol. When you finish listening and you start applying what I am laying out for you today, your relationship with running will never be the same. You are going to feel in control on hard efforts. You are going to recover faster between intervals. You are going to finish long runs feeling strong instead of destroyed. And you are going to do all of that by learning how to breathe the way the Apache did. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  3. Sep 25

    Episode 126: Micro Workouts: The Training Revolution You Cannot Afford to Ignore

    A micro workout is a short, deliberate training bout lasting anywhere from two minutes to twenty minutes, performed multiple times throughout the day. The sessions are not random. They are not just dropping and doing push-ups because you felt guilty eating a sandwich. They are programmed with intent, targeted at specific movement patterns, energy systems, or weak points in your physical profile. Every single rep you perform in a micro workout has a purpose. The physiological basis for why this works is profound. When you perform a brief bout of high-quality movement, you trigger a neuromuscular response, a hormonal cascade, and a metabolic shift that together begin the adaptation process. You do not need to be in the gym for ninety minutes to stimulate muscle protein synthesis. You need progressive tension applied to a muscle group consistently over time. Micro workouts allow you to accumulate that tension across multiple daily bouts, which means your muscles receive a training signal far more frequently than the person who only lifts three days per week. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  4. Sep 20

    Episode 125: Training for a Spartan Race: Everything You Need to Get to the Finish Line

    When most people think about preparing for a Spartan Race, they default to running. They lace up their shoes, hit the pavement a few times a week, and assume that because they can run a five-miler comfortably, they are ready. They are not. A Spartan Race is a multi-domain athletic event, and if you neglect even one of those domains, you will feel it hard on race day — usually at the worst possible moment, like mile seven of a twelve-mile Beast when your grip gives out on the monkey bars and you are staring down thirty burpees. The five training pillars you need to own are cardiovascular endurance, functional strength, grip and carry capacity, obstacle-specific skill work, and mental toughness. These are not optional. They are the architecture of every well-built Spartan athlete. Cardiovascular endurance keeps you moving between obstacles when your heart rate is spiking and your legs are burning. Functional strength lets you climb walls, carry sandbags, drag sleds, and haul yourself over rigs. Grip and carry capacity is its own category because it is that specific and that important — your forearms and hands will fail you before almost anything else if you do not train them intentionally. Obstacle skill work means you have actually practiced the movements, not just done exercises that are kind of similar. And mental toughness is what keeps you executing when your body is begging you to quit. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  5. Sep 15

    Episode 124: The Chemistry Behind Champions

    Team success isn’t magic — it’s chemistry. In this episode of The Peak Performance Podcast, we break down the hidden forces that turn a group of athletes into a unified, unstoppable unit. Champions aren’t built on talent alone; they’re built on trust, communication, and a shared identity that holds under pressure. When athletes sync mentally, emotionally, and strategically, performance skyrockets — and the game changes. Today, we’re diving into the psychology, the science, and the real‑world dynamics behind elite teams. From group_cohesion to high‑trust_culture to performance_alignment, you’ll learn what separates good teams from championship‑level organizations. Whether you’re an athlete, a coach, or a leader building your own high‑performance environment, this episode will show you exactly how chemistry becomes a competitive advantage. Let’s get into it — and unlock what truly makes champions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  6. Sep 10

    Episode 123: Train, Eat, Sleep, and Perform Like You Are in Bootcamp

    Bootcamp is built on one idea: strip away everything unnecessary and forge a human being who can perform under pressure, recover quickly, and stay disciplined when it matters most. In this episode, Train, Eat, Sleep, and Perform Like You Are in Bootcamp, we explore how adopting the core principles of military-style living can elevate physical performance, mental toughness, and daily consistency. Modern life encourages comfort, convenience, and constant distraction. Bootcamp is the opposite. It demands structure, intentional stress, precise nutrition, regimented sleep, and relentless accountability. When these elements are applied to civilian training, they create a powerful framework for peak performance — one that removes guesswork and replaces it with discipline, clarity, and measurable progress. In this episode, we break down the science behind high-intensity physical conditioning, the metabolic impact of structured eating, the neurological benefits of strict sleep hygiene, and the psychological transformation that comes from embracing discomfort. You will learn how to build a lifestyle that mirrors the efficiency and resilience of a bootcamp environment — without needing a drill instructor or a barracks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  7. Sep 5

    Episode 122:The Weighted Vest Advantage

    The weighted vest is one of the simplest tools in training — and one of the most misunderstood. In this episode, The Weighted Vest Advantage, we explore how adding external load to everyday movement can transform strength, conditioning, posture, metabolic efficiency, and even mental resilience. Across human history, carrying weight has been a built‑in part of life: hunters hauling game, warriors moving in armor, laborers transporting materials. Today, most of us live in environments engineered for convenience — minimal strain, minimal effort, minimal challenge. The weighted vest reintroduces a primal stimulus that the body recognizes instantly: work that demands adaptation. In this episode, we break down the physiology behind load‑bearing movement, the research on improved VO₂ max and bone density, the psychological benefits of training under pressure, and how strategic vest use can elevate performance across strength training, endurance work, and daily life. Whether you’re an athlete, a coach, or someone committed to long‑term physical mastery, this conversation will show you why external load is one of the most powerful — and accessible — tools for unlocking peak performance. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  8. Aug 30

    Episode 121:Calisthenics Street Lifting and Weighted Bodyweight Training

    What You Will Learn Today You will explore the foundational principles of calisthenics and street lifting, understanding how these disciplines evolved from simple bodyweight training into a highly technical strength sport practiced worldwide. You’ll learn how calisthenics builds movement literacy, joint integrity, and full‑body coordination, while street lifting adds external load to transform traditional bodyweight movements into maximal‑strength expressions. This section breaks down why these methods produce athletes with extraordinary strength‑to‑weight ratios and elite levels of tendon and connective‑tissue resilience. You will dive into how weighted calisthenics builds extraordinary strength relative to bodyweight, including the biomechanics of loaded pull‑ups, dips, muscle‑ups, and lever variations. You’ll learn why adding weight to bodyweight patterns creates unique neuromuscular adaptations, how it increases motor‑unit recruitment, and why it produces strength that transfers directly into climbing, grappling, sprinting, and combat sports. This segment explains how weighted calisthenics bridges the gap between pure calisthenics and traditional weightlifting, giving athletes the best of both worlds. You will examine the specific training methods top street‑lifting athletes use, including high‑tension isometrics, progressive weighted variations, tendon‑focused loading cycles, and advanced skill progressions like front levers, planches, and weighted muscle‑ups. You’ll learn how elite performers structure their sessions, manage fatigue, build connective‑tissue durability, and use micro‑progressions to break plateaus. This section highlights the unique blend of strength, skill, and discipline that defines the sport’s top athletes. Finally, you will learn how to progress from bodyweight to weighted calisthenics safely and effectively, with a complete roadmap that includes foundational strength standards, beginner progressions, intermediate loading strategies, and advanced templates inspired by street‑lifting methodology. You’ll receive guidance on tendon preparation, joint conditioning, volume management, and how to integrate weighted calisthenics into a broader strength program. Whether you’re new to calisthenics or ready to push into elite territory, you’ll walk away with a clear blueprint for long‑term progression. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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About

Welcome to the Peak Performance Podcast—your guide to unlocking your potential and thriving in every area of life. Hosted by Brad Young, Ph.D., bestselling author and trusted voice in health, fitness, and personal growth, this show delivers practical, evidence-based strategies to help you become your best self. Ranked in the top 10% of podcasts globally—and previously in the top 10 health and fitness podcasts—this show continues to grow, evolve, and raise the bar. Brad goes beyond theory, breaking down the training, mindset, and nutrition of elite athletes and high performers, then testing these strategies in real life. From running and fitness to mental resilience and modern health technology, he shares what actually works so you can apply it immediately. Each episode is packed with actionable tools to improve your mental, physical, and emotional well-being—whether you're optimizing performance, building better habits, or overcoming challenges. This isn’t just information—it’s transformation. Subscribe and start your journey to peak performance today. Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any medical conditions.

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